What Can I Do with an Economics Degree?

If you’re pondering your degree subject options, you may well have already wondered what you can do with an economics degree. When it comes to the finance industry that answer would be: almost anything!

What’s so good about an economics degree?

Economics students cover a lot of key bases during their studies, making it one of the hottest degree subjects in the eyes of finance recruiters. If you study economics at university you’ll gain an understanding of the financial markets and how economies work. You’ll also develop a strong sense of commercial awareness (if you work at it!) as well as some essential statistical, mathematical and IT theory knowledge and techniques. These things combined provide an excellent foundation for you to keep up with the pace in the finance industry from the off and develop and specialised professional career.

If you want to enter the behemoth that is global investment banking and fund management, an economics degree is a pretty good place to start. It’s a prime degree subject for the requirements for almost any role in this industry (though by no means the only one they’re on the lookout for – mathematical and technical subjects are also an advantage). Economics with a language can also be a strong combination of you fancy investment banking; the international nature of investment banking means that recruiters are on the lookout for graduates with language skills to bring to the party.

The range of subjects you study relating to the markets and economy on an economics degree also mean that you set yourself up nicely for research roles in the finance industry.

You could also take the accountancy route. If this is your career plan in the long term, however, you don’t necessarily have to have an accountancy related degree. Entry into this industry is possible with a degree in any discipline.

Possible career routes with an economics degree

When you start out in a role in the finance industry you’ll usually begin life in an analyst or trainee position. These are the types of career you could work up to with an economics degree in your pocket:

• Portfolio/fund manager
• Hedge fund manager
• Actuary
• Accountant
• Tax accountant
• Relationship manager
• Financial adviser (with firm or independent)
• Trader or broker
• Quantitative analyst (if you go on to gain postgraduate qualifications in a quantitative subject)
• Insurance broker
• Research analyst (specialising in an asset class or financial market)
• Wealth manager
• Market data research
• Pensions adviser
• Risk manager