Jobs in economics

The most obvious starting point is a job as a professional economist. Economists analyse how trends and patterns impact society, with an overarching goal to improve life for all. There are diverse fields economists can specialise in, meaning you can use your skills in to make an impact in the areas you’re passionate about. Here’s a few:

Health economist – looks at how resources are allocated and used in different health systems and how people make choices about their health. They can work in public or private healthcare settings to reduce waste, increase efficiency and improve health outcomes for society. 

Behavioural economist – looks at the psychology of economic decision-making for individuals and institutions. They explore how decisions are made in the real world.

Financial economist – looks at how financial instruments are priced in markets and how individuals and firms manage financial risk.

Labour economist – looks at the functioning and dynamics of the labour market including supply and demand, unemployment, wage determination and economic development.

Macroeconomist – looks at the performance and processes of an economy using macroeconomics, including economic output, inflation, interest and foreign exchange rates and the balance of payments. 

With analytical thinking, statistics and data at the core of economics, you’ll be well set up for diverse analyst roles across business:

Credit analyst – analyses and makes recommendations on credit and loan applications.

Business analyst – analyses business data to improve processes, products, services and software.

Financial analyst – analyses data to plan, forecast and assess potential financial risks for a company and inform strategy.

Insurance analyst – analyses and evaluates insurance policies to determine the risks involved for both the insurance company and the policyholder.

Data analyst - analyses data to identify key insights into a business or organisation’s customer base and uses their insights to solve problems.

Policy analyst - uses skills in economics to analyse policies and their effects, and to advise governments and organisations how to adjust those policies to achieve goals.

Graduates with a background in economics are also highly valued in other roles throughout business – from banking and financial markets to accounting and beyond. Specific roles include:

• Actuary
• Business reporter
• Economic researcher
• Economic consulting
• Financial consultant
• Financial controller
• Financial services
• Human resource manager
• Investment analyst
• Management consultant
• Market research analyst

A degree in economics will also set you up for a range of public sector and government roles. These include roles within economic planning, pricing and risk analysis, policy analysis, public taxation, transport, energy and other forms of government spending.