While students at other institutions may come for the parties and major in whatever is easy, we have found that George Mason students tend to be quite practical. They want a job when they graduate from college. It isn't enough for us to tell them that economics is fun and exciting.

So what can an economist do for a living? An economics degree is ideal for most careers. Economics stresses critical thinking. Critical thinking is stressed more in economics than it is in any of the social sciences or in the business department. Economics also stresses computer proficiency and communications skills. These are all useful in the business world, and economics studnets compete very well against most business majors for jobs. Only accounting and management information systems majors don't have to fear an economist. Any other business job is wide open.

There are many other jobs for economics majors besides the entry level business degrees that business majors get. Below is a partial list of potential jobs for economists.

• Government economist or administrator at either the federal, state or local level.
• Education at univerisities, colleges, and other schools.
• Commercial Banks
• Securities Brokers
• Insurance Companies as underwriters, account executives, agents, and risk managers.
• Fortune 500 companies
• Public Utilities
• International Lending Institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank
• Market Research and Consulting Firms
• Chambers of Commerce and Trade Associations
• Labor Unions
• Actuaries with some advanced mathematics
• Think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute and Brookings.
• Self Employed Consultants

Additional Salary information can be referenced at some of the following websites:

• http://www.jobweb.com/resources/library/Salary_and_Benefits/Starting_Salary_51_01.htm
• http://careers.gmu.edu/students/shareref/salary.cfm
• http://www.rileyguide.com/salary.html#ps

Career Opportunities in Business

Since the major stresses methodology and problem solving techniques rather than rote memorization, job recruiters are especially attracted to economics graduates. The broad analytical training received by undergraduate economics majors is desired by many large corporations. Individuals with training in economics have become problem solvers. They have learned how to identify particular problems and provide alternative solutions. Economics majors have also learned specific skills that will enhance their performance in managerial decision making; for example: demand theory and estimation, production, and cost theory, analysis of market structure, antitrust policy, government regulation of business, capital budgeting, inflation, unemployment, determination of interest rates, and international economics.

Many majors go into business. A Marquette University survey concluded that 41% of economics majors were working in business six months after graduation, while another 18% went into business after going to graduate school. A person with a bachelor's degree in Economics (depending on minor fields) would be "marketable" in a wide range of areas, including: public administration, management training and internships, sales, real estate and property appraisals, financial analysis, insurance, product management and others. The diversity of occupational areas demonstrates the broad applicability of the analytical skills developed in the major.

Opprotunities for economics students as economists

The Academic Economist - Economics is taught at the high school level all across Iowa. At the collegiate level, Ph.D. economists are in demand, especially in the quantitative areas.

The Business Economist - The primary role of the business economist is to help firms understand and adapt to a changing economic environment. Business economists interpret and forecast the general economic climate, analyze conditions specific to their firm, and also aid the firm's operational efficiency.

The Government Economist - The range of jobs for economists is as broad as government itself. Government economists work for agencies in the fields of agriculture, business, finance, labor, transportation, utilities, urban economics, and international trade.