A-level Economics: content, exam boards and grades
What A-level Economics covers in micro and macroeconomics, how AQA, Edexcel and OCR examine it, and the maths you need.
A-level Economics had over 47,000 entries in 2026, one of the fastest-growing subjects. It explains how markets, firms, governments and the global economy work, and combines essays with data analysis and diagrams. You do not need to have studied it before, but good maths helps.
What you study
- Microeconomics: scarcity and choice, how markets work, market failure and government intervention, the labour market, and how firms behave in different market structures.
- Macroeconomics: economic growth, inflation, unemployment and the balance of payments; fiscal, monetary and supply-side policy; financial markets; and international trade and development.
The exact topics depend on the exam board your school or college uses, so check its specification.
How it is examined
Like all reformed A-levels, it is a linear two-year course: you sit all the exams at the end of Year 13, and an AS taken along the way does not count towards the A-level.
| Exam board | Code | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| AQA | 7136 | Three 2-hour papers: microeconomics, macroeconomics, and a mixed paper. |
| Pearson Edexcel A | 9EC0 | Three 2-hour papers. |
| Pearson Edexcel B | 9EB0 | Three papers, with a business and real-world context. |
| OCR | H460 | Three 2-hour papers. |
Coursework: None. Calculator: A calculator is allowed.
Grades and how hard it is
In summer 2026, 47,157 students took A-level Economics in the UK. 7.7% were awarded an A* and 30.2% an A* or A, compared with about 28% across all A-levels in England. See how subjects compare in the hardest and easiest A-levels.
Entry requirements: Usually a grade 6 in Maths and English.
Where it can lead
A-level Economics is useful for economics, PPE, finance, accounting, business, management and law; careers in banking, consulting and government.
Goes well with: Maths, Politics, Geography, History, Business.
Work out what your predicted grades are worth with our UCAS points calculator.
Tips for doing well
- Learn to draw and explain diagrams quickly and accurately.
- Follow economic news so you have recent examples.
- Practise evaluation: weighing up arguments wins the top marks.
Questions people ask
Do I need A-level Maths for Economics?
Not to take A-level Economics, but most economics degrees, especially at selective universities, require A-level Maths.
Is A-level Economics hard?
It mixes essays, data and diagrams, which some students find demanding. In 2026, 30.2% of entries got an A* or A.
Economics or Business?
Economics looks at how whole markets and economies work; Business looks at how individual organisations are run.
