Economics is a well-respected college major, and it is actually the leading major at Ivy League schools like Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, and Stanford as of February 2011. A Nobel Prize is offered in the field of economics. Economics Nobel Prize winners include such esteemed individuals as Gary Becker, Vernon Smith and Robert Solow.
Students studying economics may select from an assortment of undergraduate specializations. Depending on the student's interest, he may choose to focus on agricultural or consumer economics. Students seeking a course of study that goes beyond the boundaries of countries may wish to pursue a specialization in international development or international economics. With so many specialized courses of study available, students will be able to easily select a niche that suits their intellectual needs.
An undergraduate degree in economics can provide a student with an assortment of future options. Economics majors can immediately enter the workplace after graduation, or they can elect to continue their educations on the graduate level. Economics majors may enter law school or seek their MBAs. Because economics provides students with a thorough undergraduate education, individuals will have flexibility when determining their future plans.
If the economics major elects to enter the workforce after graduation, then she may seek work as a financial planner, a stockbroker or an investment banker. However, economics majors are not just limited to work in the business sector; instead, majors may also seek employment as a teacher or a journalist. The median starting salary for those with an economics major is $50,200, and the mid-career, median salary is $101,000, according to February 2011 data from MyMajors.com.