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From helping clients navigate a financial crisis to tracking sales, costs and profits across a product line, economists employ strategies to analyze and solve some of today’s most complex economic problems.
Economists help businesses, nonprofits and government agencies make critical decisions that affect their well-being, bottom line and future development. The ability to perform economic analysis is part of a valuable skillset that lets you influence the world in the ways you find most important. Whether it is improving policy to tackle climate change or improving a business’s performance in the market, an economics major prepares you to have a meaningful impact on the world.
You’ll also learn to analyze individual markets and assess the impact public policy has on the economy. We teach you the quantitative reasoning and critical thinking skills you need to examine social and business problems and determine which roles government and markets should play in solving them.
With freedom to choose many of your courses, the economics major gives you the flexibility for opportunities such as studying away, completing an internship, and even double majoring in another area of study. You are also able to participate in a number of dual-degree and accelerated programs, combining the BS in Economics with a JD, MBA, MS in Accounting or MS in Journalism, to name a few. Opportunities abound during your time at Quinnipiac.
All of our economics graduates are either working or in a graduate program 6 months after graduation (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 surveys).
The median income for economics majors with a bachelor’s degree is $107,800 (Payscale.com, 2019). Economics majors earn among the highest incomes of all social science majors.
For the second year in a row, the career site Zippia ranked Quinnipiac as the best college in the nation for employment 10 years after graduation. (Zippia.com, 2020)
James Burnham ’19
James Burnham ’19 approaches his career in product management at Travelers Insurance from a distinct perspective.
After graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with a double major in economics and philosophy, Burnham sees things differently — perceptively and wonderfully so.
He discovered the real-world value of critical thinking and informed analysis during a summer internship with Travelers in 2018. Burnham credits Professor Donn M. Johnson, his academic adviser and chair of economics, for helping to make the introduction to Travelers.
The rest, Burnham understood, was up to him.
“You have to challenge yourself and elevate yourself,” Burnham said. “Quinnipiac gives you the chance to do that with access to great professors, all kinds of clubs and activities, and the chance to pursue what excites and interests you.”
Burnham said his decision to study economics and philosophy was not a coincidence.
“In the 21st century, they go hand in hand,” he said. “They give you complimentary skills to think critically and analytically.”
If Burnham needed validation his academic background was well suited for Travelers, he found it during his internship.
You'll have access to a wide array of opportunities and resources, including fellowships, research, clubs and more.
The QU Central European Institute (CEI) builds bridges between the United States and nations of central Europe by fostering relationships in three main areas – academics, business, and culture. Economics majors interested in domestic and international policy have the opportunity to work with the CEI on policy research for think tanks, NGOs and governmental agencies in the U.S., Hungary and Poland. Opportunities range from pure research to studying and interning in D.C., Hungary or Poland.
The team is responsible for the core analysis done on key macroeconomic variables in the economies of Central Europe, releasing weekly reports and analyzing exchange rate and interest rate trends. The team’s work is conducted under the guidance of Associate Economics Professor and Istvan Szechenyi Chair in International Economics, Christopher Ball.
A bachelor’s degree in economics can prepare you for a wide range of careers from business to government, nonprofits, law, teaching and political campaigns.
Many of our graduates choose to continue their academics by pursuing law degrees, MBAs, PhDs or master’s degrees in analytics, math or teaching.
Our undergraduate admissions counselors are here to answer any questions you may have and help you navigate the application process.