The Yangon University of Economics is a State University which is under the Department of Higher Education (Yangon Region, Myanmar), Ministry of Education. The University was established as a professional institute to train economist, statisticians, accountants, and management personnel, and to do research on economic, business and statistical issues related to the Myanmar Economy.

The Yangon University of Economics originated as Department of Economics under the University of Rangoon (Yangon) in 1924. In 1940, the Department of Economics began teaching Commerce as a special subject. Special courses in Statistics were given by the Department since 1953. In 1955, separate Commerce Department was established; and in 1956, a separate Statistics Department was established. Also in 1958, another Department of Economics came into being in Mandalay along with the founding of Mandalay University.

With the introduction of the new system of Education in 1964, all these departments were brought together and reorganized into present Yangon Institute of Economics. In 1988, the Department of Management Studies and Department of Applied Economics were set up. The University now has five major teaching departments, namely, Economics, Applied Economics, Statistics, Commerce, and Management Studies. The other supporting Departments of the Institute are the Myanmar Language, English, Mathematics, and Geography Departments.

The University is organized with the Rector, Pro-Rectors and Heads of Departments forming the Administrative Board and the Academic Board. There are at present a total of 385 full-time staffs in the Institute, out of which 171 are engaged in teaching and research. The rest are administrative and support personnel.

The total student enrollment each year is about 7540, of which 2240 are fresh admissions. Courses in Economics, Statistics, Commerce, and Management are offered at the Bachelors, Honours, Masters and Diplomas levels. At present, the University is offering the courses for 9 bachelor degree, 12 master degrees, 9 diploma degrees, and 3 doctoral degrees. The University has nurtured more than 77,036 graduates who specialized in Economics, Statistics, Commerce and Business Studies.

The University has three Campuses: Kamayut Campus, Hlaing Campus, and Ywa Tha Gyi Campus. The Kamayut Campus, the Original Campus, located on the shores of Inya Lake at the corner of Inya Road and Pyay Road. The Hlaing Campus is situated about one mile from the Kamayut Campus. The Ywa Tha Gyi Campus, the newly Campus established in 2000, is located 13 miles away from Kamayut Campus.

The undergraduate courses are being offered in Ywa Tha Gyi Campus and Master courses and PhD courses are being conducting in Kamayut Campus. In Hlaing Campus, YEco has been offering the courses under the Human Resource Development (HRD) programme and has established Myanmar-India Entrepreneurship Development Center since 2009. Also in Hlaing Campus, it is going to launch Business Skills Incubation Center in coming June, 2013.

In line with the reforms, transformed as Yangon University of Economics in 2014.

At Hlaing Campus, the undergraduate courses, specializing in accounting, public administration, development studies and population studies are being offered in 2015-2016 academic year.

In 2019-2020 academic year, the undergraduate courses, specializing in commerce, business administration, economics and statistics are launched in Hlaing Campus. Therefore, there are totally eight specializations in Hlaing Campus. The total number of students at Hlaing Campus is round about 700.

Yangon University of Economics started Master of Marketing Management (MMM), Master of Hospitality and Tourism Management (MHTM) and Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management at Kamayut Campus and Hlaing Campus in 2020.

Under the Centre for Human Resource Development (CHRD) Program, Yangon University of Economics offered the two certificate courses and five diploma courses in Hlaing Campus.