Economics at NIU
Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science

Explore principles that shape the global economy and our daily lives.

From rising costs at the grocery store to differences in wealth between countries, the exploration of economics reveals important insights into our world. As an economics major, you’ll learn how forces such as supply and demand shape our society. You’ll learn how to inform and guide life-altering decisions involving limited resources in areas like business and government.

I chose economics because I was fascinated by supply and demand and how our economy prices everything. I’ve felt welcomed and embraced by the faculty here at NIU, and I feel like it’s an experience you wouldn’t be able to have at a lot of larger universities.

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What Can I Do With an Economics Degree From NIU?

Your communication and decision-making abilities will prepare you to thrive in a variety of fields. Your degree is also excellent preparation for law school or graduate study in public policy or business administration.

Top skills reported by alumni:

  • Business development 
  • Leadership
  • Negotiation
  • Project management
  • Strategic planning

Top fields alumni work in:

  • Finance
  • Information technology
  • Insurance
  • Manufacturing
  • Transportation and logistics

Career Potential for NIU Economics Majors

Average mid-career salary:

$101,802

Top employers include:

  • Allstate
  • Bank of America
  • BMO Harris Bank
  • Discover Financial Services
  • Merrill Lynch
  • Northern Trust Corporation

Job titles include:

  • Account executive
  • Business development manager
  • Director of finance 
  • Manager
  • Owner
  • President

Source: Steppingblocks, 2023

What to Expect as an Economics Major at NIU

You'll gain in-depth knowledge of economic principles and have access to internships and other involvement opportunities. You can get a B.A. or B.S. degree. The B.S. focuses more on quantitative methods and is better preparation for graduate study in economics. The optional financial economics emphasis is available for the B.S. only.

Explore economics courses.

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How We’ll Help You Succeed

Apply for free and we’ll automatically consider you for a renewable merit scholarship.

Earn your bachelor’s degree fast with our affordable tuition and fees. Any credit hours you take over 12 are free (per semester).

Prepare to thrive after graduation with personalized support from Career Services.

With our truth-in-tuition policy, you’ll get the same fixed tuition rate for four continuous years, whether you live in Illinois or another state.

Apply to NIU

First-year Students
(Freshman)

High School GPA

3.0 or higher?

You're guaranteed general NIU admission.

ACT/SAT SCORES

Not considered.

We think your high school GPA is a better predictor of your success.

First-Year Application

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First-Year Application

Add us to your common app list

Transfer Students

ALL COLLEGES GPA

2.0 or higher?

You're guaranteed general NIU admission.

ALL COLLEGES GPA

3.0 or higher?

You're guaranteed a
renewable merit scholarship
.

See how your credits transfer

Apply to NIU as a Transfer Student

See how your credits transfer

Apply to NIU as a Transfer Student

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