Education · 1 of 5
The path
Economics is a math degree wearing a suit. The further you go, the more math it is.
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High school diploma
Grade 12
Take calculus if your school has it. That one course decides how hard the first year of an economics major feels.
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Bachelor's degree in economics
4 years
Add real math: calculus through multivariable, linear algebra and statistics. An economics degree without math closes the door to graduate school.
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Research assistant job
1 to 2 years
Two years at the Federal Reserve, a federal agency, a consulting firm or a university lab. This is where you learn to handle real data, and where your recommendation letters come from.
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Master's degree or doctorate
2 to 6 years
A master's degree is enough for most government and industry jobs. A doctorate takes 5 to 6 funded years and is required to be called an economist in research and academic work.
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Economist role
After graduate school
Agency, bank, consulting firm, tech company or university. The job title changes but the work is the same: data, models, and writing up what they mean.