<p>So I have often read that a B.S. in Economics is a great undergrad degree that should open doors to a wide variety of jobs, but as of late, the consensus doesn't seem so certain. I am going to college at Texas A&M next fall and I intend on pursuing a B.S. in Economics. I enjoy the subject pretty well, but if the job outlook is uncertain for it, then I want to shift gears before it is too late. Is a B.S. in Econ a fairly safe degree?</p>
<p>Also, I've seen a lot of people recommend a double major for econ. What are some of the preferred degrees that go along with it?</p>
<p>Translating “safe” into “I’ll learn marketable skills with a reasonable chance the job market will want them when I graduate”, yes, I think a degree in econ is a good basis for post-college employment and various graduate school options. </p>
<p>My son (a BS Econ major graduating from another school) told me the foundation degree for a career as an economist per his school is not the BS (it’s not the BA either, I forgot the nomenclature, check with the department on what they recommend, and maybe a real economist will reply here). </p>
<p>As a freshman, take the intro econ and other courses you can to see if you still feel this way about econ when you declare your major (and remember to explore other subjects you may want to study). If your interest is more practical analysis than theory, statistics, accounting, operations research, or applied math with a minor in econ may be your preference. Don’t worry too much now about picking the “wrong” major - I think most students graduate with a different major than what they expected as a freshman to study. Let alone where they wind up working a decade later. Good luck.</p>
<p>Econ is absolutely fine as a major.
What to do along with it depends on your desired path.
Math is a must if you plan on going to grad school in econ.</p>
<p>Finance can also be good if you plan on working straight out of college.</p>
<p>Economics has the 10th highest starting salary for undergrad. Above finance and above all other business degree concentrations. </p>
<p>Economics is a lot of quantitative and critical thinking work which employer’s love. Economics major also have the highest LSAT scores, due largely because of their critical reasoning and analytical skills.</p>
<p>Con: Be prepared to stare at graphs.
You will get sick of hearing things such as, “If price goes up, demand goes down, causing the supply curve to shift to the right”. “If labor supply increases, wages will decrease, causing labor demand curve to shift to the left.”</p>
<p>You will also learn why having a minimum wage does nothing for the standard of living, but decreases the amount of labor demanded. Things like that.</p>
<p>If you like politics, business, and numbers be a economics major.</p>
<p>From my experience, Economics major’s marketability can be hit or miss. If you get Econ degree from top college, you can still get a job in banking or consulting. If you get Econ degree from some tier two school, what kind of job can you get? I would be interested to hear.</p>
<p>I know for a fact that I like econ a lot because I have taken AP Micro and am currently taking AP Macro, but I share the concern that LazyKid has. Texas A&M is a great school, but definitely not top tier (I know I’ll be undergrad, but US News ranked the grad program at #42). Will I have any trouble finding employment?</p>
<p>I just don’t understand how you expect anyone to be able to provide an accurate answer to your question.
No one knows what the economy will be like in 4 years. We don’t know anything about you (how motivated you are, how well you interview, how likeable you are). Do you have the drive to send out 100s of emails to alumni with the hopes of landing a few interviews?</p>
<p>If you’re truly concerned, your best bet is to find placement information from previous classes at Texas A&M.</p>
<p>Economics major are ALWAYS in demand but they are not guaranteed. It all comes down to how you market yourself when you graduate.</p>