What Can I Do With a Major In Economics?
UGA Specific Information for Economics
Economics is the study of people and choices. It includes the study of the ways in which people make a living; the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services; and the analysis of inflation, unemployment, and efficient use of natural resources. Macro and microeconomics are the two vantage points from which the economy is observed.
Macroeconomics looks at the total output of a nation and the way the nation allocates its limited resources of land, labor, and capital in an attempt to maximize production levels and promote trade and growth.
Microeconomics looks into similar issues, but on the level of the individual people and firms within the economy. It tends to be more scientific in its approach, and studies the parts that make up the whole economy.
For students interested in business careers, economics is an essential foundation for business education. Similarly, when it is viewed in the broader sense of a liberal arts education, economics is a core discipline and an integral part of a well-rounded course of study. Economics majors develop both analytical and communication skills while focusing on the application of economics to the real world. In addition to foundational courses in economic theory, the Economics Department offers classes that reflect broader interests, including environmental economics, sports economics, game theory, economic analysis of law, urban economics, and the economics of education.
Class of 2021 Career Outcomes for Economics*
** Includes Self-Employed
Campus Resources
Economics Student Organizations
- Apollo Society* - open to 2nd year students interested in investment & financial markets
- Kennedy Program* - open to 1st year students interested in finance & accounting
- Corsair Society* - open to 3rd & 4th year students though entry is highly competitive, develops and connects members with alumni in areas of investment banking and consulting
- Economics Society - open to all students, learn about the various areas of Economics from employer speakers and campus partners
- Society of Business Intelligence - focused on developing and building the "hard" skills of all business and non-business students, which include data analytics skills such as Tableau, data visualization, SAS, and many more
- Society of Entrepreneurs - connects students to resources of the Entrepreneurship Program and the Athens entrepreneurial community
- Terry Student Researchers - focused on research and creating knowledge on issues affecting the University of Georgia campus and the local Athens community through semester-long research projects either designed by a current TSR member or developed in partnership with another student organization
- Women in Economics - a community of students who are passionate about economics, offering women the opportunity to network with companies, develop professional skills, and tips & advice for navigating college
* Application required
Consulting Student Organizations
- Terry Student Consulting - in addition to working with actual clients in a professional environment, develops its members knowledge of consulting through presentations, workshops, and guest speakers
- Triple Impact Consulting - a student-led club with the mission of equipping members with tools to analyze and better understand the intersection between business and sustainability
Other Terry Student Organizations
- Atlas Business Society* - open to 1st & 2nd year students, focused on developing business skills & professional etiquette
- Magellan Program* - open to 1st year students, semester-long program focused on developing business skills & professional etiquette
- Alpha Kappa Psi - co-ed professional business fraternity
- Delta Sigma Pi - co-ed professional business fraternity
- Finance Society - open to all students, learn about the various areas of finance from employer speakers
- Multicultural Business Student Association - open to all students, caters to and develops the professional needs of business students from diverse backgrounds
- Student Financial Planning Association - open to all students, focuses on connecting students with employers and faculty & building a community of young professionals with an interest in financial planning
- Women in Finance - open to all students, prepares students from all majors for careers in finance through numerous networking events, socials, and interactive workshops
* Appication required
Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations/Considerations
POTENTIAL CAREER PATHS
- Financial Planning - Advise clients on financial plans using knowledge of tax and investment strategies, securities, insurance, pension plans, and real estate. Duties include assessing clients' assets, liabilities, cash flow, insurance coverage, tax status, and financial objectives.
- Insurance Underwriter - Review individual applications for insurance to evaluate degree of risk involved and determine acceptance of applications.
- Management Analyst - Conduct organizational studies and evaluations, design systems and procedures, conduct work simplification and measurement studies, and prepare operations and procedures manuals to assist management in operating more efficiently and effectively. Includes program analysts and management consultants.
- Marketing & Survey Research - Research market conditions in local, regional, or national areas, or gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or create a marketing campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution.
- Economist - Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.
- Environmental Economist - Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.
- Real Estate & Urban Planning - Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
- Legislative Assistant - Develop, introduce or enact laws and statutes at the local, tribal, State, or Federal level. Includes only workers in elected positions.
- Actuary - Analyze statistical data, such as mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates and construct probability tables to forecast risk and liability for payment of future benefits. May ascertain insurance rates required and cash reserves necessary to ensure payment of future benefits.
- Auditor - Examine and analyze accounting records to determine financial status of establishment and prepare financial reports concerning operating procedures.
- Budget Analyst - Examine budget estimates for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with procedures and regulations. Analyze budgeting and accounting reports.
- Financial Analyst - Conduct quantitative analyses of information affecting investment programs of public or private institutions.
- Underwriter - Manage communications or negotiations between corporate issuers of securities and clients regarding private equity investments. Underwrite the issuance of securities to provide capital for client growth. Negotiate and structure the terms of mergers or acquisitions.
- Graduate School programs including the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA), the Master of Arts in Economics (MA Econ), and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) - note: most MBA programs require at least 2 years of work experience prior to admittance
- And more!
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Economics is a great major because it provides a solid business foundation that can lead to a wide range of career options; however, this openness can also be troublesome when trying to narrow your focus to a few specific industries to actively pursue. As a result, it is critical for economics majors to begin exploring their skills, values, & interests as well as various career opportunities prior to graduating. Below is a list of common careers that economics majors often pursue as well as tips for success & exploration resources to help get you started.
-
Consume financial news on a daily basis to build your market and industry fluency (don't wait to take FINA 3000 to begin talking the talk)
-
Attend employer networking events through Terry College & the Career Center starting your first semester on campus. Build your industry awareness and self-confidence by engaging employers early
-
Know your Recruiting Timeline:
-
Investment Banking - begins in the Spring semester a full year prior to a Summer internship (i.e. Spring 2022 for Summer 2023 opportunities) and runs into mid-Summer
-
Commercial Banking, Corporate Finance, & Consulting - begins in late July and runs into late September for the next year's Summer opportunities
-
- Improve your technical skills & knowledge through trainings on LinkedIn Learning
-
Become Lean Six Sigma and/or Bloomberg Terminal certified, if relevant
- Begin exploring careers early. This is something that must be done outside of the classroom
- Create your resume during your first semester & update it every semester afterwards
- Internships are crucial for testing out various industries & also building relevant experience on your resume
- Consider earning a certificate to supplement your major studies
- Explore study abroad options during your 1st or 2nd year
RESOURCES - INDUSTRY RESEARCH & INTERVIEW PREP
- Economics News & Resources
-
Bureau of Economic Analysis - a unit of the US Department of Commerce that provides official macroeconomic and industry statistics, most notably reports about the gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States and its various units—states, cities/towns/townships/villages/counties, and metropolitan areas. They also provide information about personal income, corporate profits, and government spending in their National Income and Product Accounts (NIPAs)
-
Bureau of Labor Statistics - a unit of the US Department of Labor and the principal fact-finding agency for the US government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics
-
CATO Institute - an American libertarian think thank that publishes books, podcasts, and more with a focus on public advocacy, media exposure and societal influence
-
The Economist - a British weekly newspaper that focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture that takes a stance primarily around classical, social, and most notably economic liberalism
-
National Bureau of Economic Research - conducts and disseminates nonpartisan economic research
-
Crash Course: Economics - YouTube playlist explaining various aspects of Economics in entertaining 10-15 minute snippets
-
- General Finance News
- Bloomberg
- Note: Released in 1982, the Bloomberg Terminal has become synonymous with the financial services sector. A computer software system provided by the financial data vendor Bloomberg L.P., it enables financial services professionals to access Bloomberg professional Service through which users can monitor and analyze real-time financial market data and place trades on the electronic trading platform. They are quite pricey, costing $20k per year per terminal to operate. Terry College has 12 Bloomberg Terminals in its Benn Capital Markets Lab and students can receive a Bloomberg certification (helpful in competing for investment banking and analyst internships, especially based in the Northeast). Bloomberg Terminals are particularly notable for their dark-background interface and unique custom keyboards with bright yellow and green keys
- The Deal - subscription-based Financial News service that covers corporate transactions, dealmakers and their advisers to help readers identify opportunities and build their business.
- Financial Times - daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England and famous for its broadsheet's light pink hue.
- New York Times' DealBook - financial news service reporting on mergers, acquisitions, venture capital and hedge funds produced by The New York Times
- McKinsey Quarterly - first published in 1964, it's a business magazine aimed toward senior executives with a focus on management and organizational theory. Authored primarily by McKinsey & Co consultants and former consultants
- Mergers & Inquisitions - backed by Breaking Into WallStreet, the world's first and largest blog dedicated to careers in the finance industry with a free weekly newsletter featuring interviews
- MorningBrew - free daily newsletter that captures financial news in bite-sized, easily digestible snippets. Also produce podcasts and videos.
- Deal Breaker - publishes financial news, commentary, and analysis about banks, hedge funds, private equity, MBAs, and lifestyle
- The Wall Street Journal MoneyBeat - provides financial information, business news, analysis, and stock market data
- Bloomberg
- Stock Market Coverage
- Market Watch - provides financial information, business news, analysis, and stock market data. A subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company, along with The Wall Street Journal and Barron's
- Seeking Alpha - crowd-sourced content service for financial markets started back in 2004, focused on stocks, asset classes, exchange-traded funds, and investment strategies
- Bloomberg Markets
- WSJ Markets
- Finance Training Courses
- Breaking Into Wall Street ($$) - prep courses for students and professionals seeking Investment and Private Equity jobs
- Training the Street ($$) - prep courses for investment banking and the financial industry
- Wall Street Oasis ($$) - collection of various financial skills and modeling courses
- Wall Street Prep ($$) - prep courses for investment banking
Note: the above courses can be costly and are sometimes included as a part of Terry major coursework or student organization membership. They are listed here for the sake of transparency as individuals may choose to purchase them individually.
CONSULTING & CASE INTERVIEW PREP
- Ace the Case ($$) - case interview questions and solutions for practice interview prep
- ArgoPoint - case interview tips
- Case In Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation by Marc Cosentino ($$) - demystifies the case interview process used for recruiting in consulting, private equity, strategic planning, marketing, logistic, operations, and human capital. This book takes you inside a typical interview by exploring the various types of case questions
- Management Consulted - YouTube page featuring a library of case interview examples from McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, and more, covering all types of case studies: profitability, market study, market sizing, and M&A
BOOKS & PODCASTS
- Books
- Options, Futures, & Other Derivatives - John Hull
- Security Analysis & The Intelligent Investor - Benjamin Graham
- The Handbook of Fixed Income Securities - Frank Fabozzi
- Liar’s Poker - Michael Lewis
- Average is Over - Tyler Cowen
- The Fast Track: The Insider's Guide to Winning Jobs in Management Consulting, Investment Banking, & Securities Trading - Mariam Naficy
- Podcasts
Supplemental Career Research Dashboard
Additional Career Research Resources
- O*NET - The O*NET database includes information on skills, abilities, knowledges, work activities, and interests associated with over 900 occupations (Login using your 810/811)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - The OOH can help you find career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations
- Firsthand - Explore a library of guides, articles, and other resources to help you explore careers, plan your job search, and learn about different work environments. Create a free account with your UGA email
- Candid Career - Whether you are just beginning to explore career options, preparing for a job interview, or looking to change careers, CandidCareer.com can help by providing you with access to thousands of informational video interviews with real professionals through an easy to use website. We can all learn from the experiences of others and the Career Center makes this valuable resource available to UGA students so they may be informed and ready for what lies ahead. (Login using your 810/811)
- GoinGlobal - View jobs/internship in other countries and country career guides (Login using your 810/811)
- Glassdoor - Glassdoor is a free jobs and career community that offers the world an inside look at jobs and companies. What sets us apart is our "employee generated content" – anonymous salaries, company reviews, interview questions, and more – all posted by employees, job seekers, and sometimes the companies themselves. Now with nearly 3 million salaries and reviews, you have all the information you might need to make your next career decision.
- Big Interview - Online practice interview platform. Practice basic interview questions or questions based on your industry interests or competencies! Also provides practice interview questions for graduate/professional schools. Just sign-up using your uga email address!
- Terry Connect - TerryConnect is an online platform where Terry students can connect one-on-one with Terry alumni — and each other — for networking, coaching and professional opportunities. Through TerryConnect, students enjoy access to Terry’s influential alumni base, as well as flash mentoring sessions with peers, discussion boards, special interest groups and more.
Employment Websites
GENERAL EMPLOYMENT WEBSITES
- Handshake - login with your UGA myID & password to search for internships & jobs
- GoinGlobal - login with your UGA myID & password; click "GoinGlobal" to access international jobs & internships
- Idealist - non-profit jobs
- USAJobs - federal jobs
MAJOR & CAREER-SPECIFIC EMPLOYMENT WEBSITES
- Actuary Jobs
- American Economics Association
- Bank Jobs
- Career Bank
- Chronicle - jobs in higher education
- eFinancial Careers
- Financial Job Bank
- Insurance Jobs
- Insurance Workforce
Professional Associations/Resources
General
Interested in Understanding & Interpreting Financial Matters
- American Association of Finance & Accounting
- American Bankers Association
- American Finance Association
- Association of Financial Professionals
- Financial Management Association
- Financial Planning Association
- International Academy of Business & Financial Management
- Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association
Interested in Quantitative Analysis
- American Mathematical Society
- American Statistical Association
- Institute for Operations Research & the Management Sciences
- Society for Industrial & Applied Mathematics
Interested in Investment Banking
- CFA Institute
- Leaders Global Network
- Mergers & Inquisitions
- New York Society of Security Analysts
- Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association
Interested in Insurance
Interested in Consulting
Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2021 Economics majors
The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2021 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Employer | Position Title(s) |
---|---|
ABC Consultants Group | Account Manager | Académie de Versailles | English Language Assistant | Acadia | Jr. SEO Analyst | Acworth Primere Dental Care | Administrative Staff | ALDRIDGE PITE HAAN, LLP | Paralegal | AlphaSights | Client Services Associate | Amazon.com, Inc. | Area Manager | Amazon.com, Inc. | Area Manager | Amazon.com, Inc. | Area Manager | Amazon.com, Inc. | Associate Account Manager | AmeriCorps | VISTA Service Member | Ameriprise Financial | Marketing and Administration Specialist | Ameris Bank | Personal Banker | Amherst Holdings LLC | Analyst | Amplifi | Solutions Consultant | Anytime Fitness | Assistant Manager | Apex Supply | Sales, Management, and Leadership Development Trainee | Arrive Logistics | Account Executive | Atlantic Union Bank | Analyst | ATNS USA | FCM Specialist | ATNS USA | FCM Specialist | ATNS USA | FCM Specialist | ATNS USA | FCM Specialist | ATNS USA | FCM Specialist | Avison Young | Financial Analyst - Capital Markets | Ballard Designs | Inventory Planning Assistant | Bank of America | Wealth Management Analyst | Bay Point Media, LLC | Film Finance/Development Intern | BDO USA, LLP | STS Transfer Pricing Associate | Benevis | Revenue Cycle Specialist | Boom Lab | Project Manager Associate | Boston Consulting Group | Associate Consultant | Boston Consulting Group | Associate | Burns & Wilcox | Broker Assistant | CallRail | SDR | Capitol | Buying/Operations | Capstone Financial, LLC | Financial Services Representative | Capstone Financial, LLC | Financial Services Representative | Capstone Financial, LLC | Financial Services Representative | Capstone Financial, LLC | Financial Services Representative | Capstone Financial, LLC | Financial Services Representative | Centennial Aviation Academy | Administrative Assistant | CentricsIT | SDR | Chick-fil-A | Leadership Program | Chick-fil-A | Assistant Director | Chubb | Chubb Associate | Chubb | Associate-Environmental Underwriting | Chubb | Associate-Environmental Underwriting | Chubb | Associate-Environmental Underwriting | Chubb | Associate-Environmental Underwriting | Clean Hands- Safe Hands | Business Development Specialist | Colby & Co. PLC | Accounting Assistant | Cox Communications | Project Management Specialist | Deloitte | Engagement Financial Advisor | Deloitte | GPS Business Technology Analyst | Delta | Analyst | Department of Commerce | Analyst | Deutsche Bank | AML Transaction Monitoring Investigations - Analyst | Development Authority of Walton County | Economic Development Manager | Dunbelt Marketing | Not Specified | Energy Impact Center | Research Analyst | Envision Athens | Project Coordinator | EY | People Advisory Services Staff | EY | Tech Consultant | EY | Tech Consultant | EY | Transfer Pricing Staff | First Horizon Advisors | Client Specialist | FIS | Business Process Analyst | FIS | Business Process Analyst | FIS | Business Process Analyst | Fiserv, Inc. | Project Management Professional | Fiserv, Inc. | Program Analyst | Fisher Investments | Client Service Associate | Florida Financial Advisors | Independent Financial Advisor | Forge Group | Analyst | FortisPay | Marketing Communications Coordinator | Freddie Mac | Analyst | FTI Consulting | Power and Renewables Consultant | FTI Consulting | Corporate Finance and Restructuring Consultant | Georgia Department of Insurance & Safety Fire | Special Assistant | Georgia West Realty Inc. | Real Estate Agent/Salesperson | Global Payments Inc. | Software Engineer | Gunnemann and Chally, LLC | Legal Research Analyst | HR Path | Associate Consultant | Inveniam | Associate | Itineris | Functional Analyst | Jamestown | Investor Relations Analyst | JLL | Performance Manager | JLL | Performance Manager | JLL | Performance Manager | JLL | Performance Manager | Jonathan R. Brockman, P.C. | Legal Assistant | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Commercial Banking Analyst | K&L Gates | Government Affairs Fellow | Kate Arnold Wines | Business Analyst | Keybridge, LLC | Senior Research Assistant | Keyence Corporation | Sales Engineer | Kimberly-Clark Professional | Financial Analyst | KPMG | Customer Solutions Associats | Lemonade | CX Specialist | Level Up Ventures | Venture Analyst | Mather Economics | Associate Consultant | McWhirter Realty Partners | Brokerage Associate | Media Analytics Analyst | Inspire Brands | Micromeritics Instrument Corporation | ERP Operations Analyst | Morgan Stanley | Customer Service - Stock Plans | National Storage Affiliates | Pricing Analyst | NCR Coperation | Business Operations Consultant | NCR Corporation | Business Analyst | Nolan Transportation Group | Carrier Sales Representative | Nolan Transportation Group | Carrier Sales Representative | Norfolk Southern Corp. | Market Analyst | Northside Hospital | Financial Analyst | Not Specified | Wood Salesman | Novatech, Inc. | Data Analyst | Oliver Wyman | Actuarial Analyst | OptionsSwing Inc. | Technical Analyst | Oracle | Cloud Technology Consultant | Oracle | Business Development Consultant | Origami Risk | Business System Analyst | Origami Risk | Business Systems Analyst | OTR Capital | Operations Coordinator | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | Risk Analyst | PepsiCo | Sales Management Associate | Primrose Schools | Site Analytics Coordinator | Procure Analytics | Analyst | Publicis Sapient | Product Manager | PwC | Management Consulting Specialist | PwC | Technology Consulting | QGenda | Business Development Representative | RaceTrac | Customer Accounts Analyst | Rodl & Partner USA | IT Support Analyst | Rodriguez MD LLC | Front Office Administrator | RSM US LLP | Associate Risk Advisor | RTI International | Associate Research Economist | Sage Mountain Advisors | Financial Analyst | Serviot | Administrative Assistant | Sherwin Williams | Management and Sales Trainee Program | Situs AMC | Analyst | Small Business Access Partners | Loan Assistant | Star Asia International | Import Operations Coordinator | Sterling Seacreast Pritchard | Client Service Assistant | Stifel | Investment Banking Analyst | Synergetics | Associate Healthcare Operations Consultant | Synovus | Commercial Credit Analyst | Talent Path | Data Analyst | Textron Specialized Vehicles | Financial Analyst | The Home Depot | Software Engineer | The Home Depot | Supply Chain Analyst | The Home Depot | Inventory Planning & Replenishment Analyst | The Simpson Organization | Tenant Services Coordinator | Travelers Insurance | Underwriting Professional Development Program Bond & Specialty Insurance FI P&C | Truist Securities | LDP Credit Analyst | Trustpilot | ADR | U.S. Securities and Exchange Comission | Program Analyst | United Rentals | Sales Development Program | United States Department of Treasury | IT Specialist | United States Representative Drew Ferguson | Legislative Intern | UPS | Marketing Analytics Specialist | VanEck | Junior Portfolio Operations Analyst | Wells Fargo | Investment Banking Analyst | Western & Southern Life | Financial Representative | Westrock | Financial Analyst | WITHIN | Integrated Media Strategist |
Graduate/Professional Schools attended by Class of 2021 Economics majors
The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2020 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Graduate School | Program(s) |
---|---|
Duke University | Law, JD | Florida State University | Law, JD | Georgetown University | Business Analytics, MS | Georgia Institute of Technology | City and Regional Planning; Public Policy, Master's | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Georgia State University | Finance, MS | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Harvard University | Medicine, MD | Indiana University | Medicine, MD | John Marshal Law Shool | Law, JD | Mercer Univeristy | Law, JD | Mercer University | Law, JD | Mercer University | Law, JD | Notre Dame | Law, JD | Shorter University | Business Administration and Sports Management, MBA | Southern Methodist University | Management, MSM | Stanford University | International Policy, MA | Temple University | Dental Medicine, DMD | University of Chicago | Social Sciences, MS | University of Georgia | Business Analytics, MS | University of Georgia | Business Analytics, MS | University of Georgia | Analytics, MS | University of Georgia | Business Analytics, MS | University of Georgia | Law, MSL | University of Georgia | Business Analytics, MS | University of Georgia | Marketing Research, MMR | University of Georgia | Public Administration, MPA | University of Georgia | Business Analytics, MS | University of Georgia | Business Analytics, MS | University of Georgia | Law, JD | University of Illinois | Law, JD | University of Mississippi | Law, JD | University of South Carolina | Law, JD | University of South Carolina | Law, JD | University of Virginia | Law, JD | University of Wisconsin-Madison | Sociology, PhD | Wake Forest University | Business Analytics, MS | Washington University | Law, JD |