<p>I am currently a Joint Math & Econ major. </p>
<p>Would a PhD in Business or Economics be more beneficial to me if I plan on working in the private industry? What are the differences anyhow? Would the starting pay be very different? How about the ease of finding a job?</p>
<p>Also, I was wondering which schools in California offer a PhD in Business? So far, I know
Stanford, UCLA, USC, UCI and UCSB. (Please correct me if I am wrong about any of these schools).</p>
<p>Don't get a PhD if you want to work in business (unless there's an area you want to work in that specifically requires such a degree). Intern somewhere and build up your resume (before you graduate). When you graduate spend your time gaining experience, not learning about business from an academic perspective.</p>
<p>I am currently attending UCSD for undergraduate. It would not be such an easy task to find a well paying job fresh from UCSD. So I plan on pursuing higher education. And since MBA would require me to have working experience, so for the 3-4 years that I will be working, I will not be making much, then I would have to transition back into school mode. Then go back to MBA school, which is even more arbitrary to get into. So in the end, I feel that it is more beneficial for me to attain higher education now. </p>
<p>I am interested in any sort of career that involves financial analyst, consultant, business forecasting, financial markets, anything of that nature.</p>
<p>Other than the a Ph.D maybe a MS in finance or an MS econmics. Although I'm not sure that all schools offer them as terminal degress.</p>
<p>If you do PhD in Finance at a top school, you can be very very successful no matter where you go (academia or industry). But it is extremely hard to get in such a program.</p>
<p>Careerwise, what you call the degree matters little. What department or school grants the degree matters only a bit more.</p>
<p>What does matter is the research you've done. If the research, and consequently the expertise you've developed, is valuable, you will be set. Otherwise, you will find no interest.</p>
<p>The practical problem you would face with this strategy, though, is that it is darn hard to figure out when you are starting out what will be hot around the time you finish. </p>
<p>Your best bet is to get off these boards and start reading more about areas of finance that interest you. Head to the library. And start talking to working professionals. Your alumni office can probably help you make some contacts.</p>