What can you do with a Economics degree from Northern Illinois University?

First, some facts. Of the Economics graduates from Northern Illinois University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:

These are estimates based on AI analysis of 12 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 51%, Economics graduates from Northern Illinois University have a much lower likelihood (-16%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

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Also, after graduating, only 16% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Economics graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

• What jobs can you get with a Economics degree from Northern Illinois University?
• What do Economics graduates from Northern Illinois University do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Economics degree from Northern Illinois University? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Economics degree from Northern Illinois University?
• What are the best colleges for Economics?

View a random Economics graduate from Northern Illinois University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 54% We think this person has gone into a career only somewhat relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2011 from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Economics. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Pro Shop Managing Assistant River Heights Golf Course Mar 2011 - Sep 2011 The position as Pro Shop Managing Assistant focuses on retail and customer service skills, which do not utilize the core qualifications of an Economics degree. Loan Auditor InterBank Mortgage Company Sep 2011 - Apr 2012 As a Loan Auditor, the job involves financial analysis and understanding of economic principles, directly applying knowledge gained from the Economics degree on a daily basis. Appraisal Review Specialist InterBank Mortgage Company Sep 2011 - Nov 2012 The role of Appraisal Review Specialist requires economic analysis and valuation skills, which are highly relevant to the coursework within an Economics degree curriculum. Marketing Manager Gryphon Inc. Nov 2012 - Present While marketing management shares some overlap with Economics in terms of market analysis, it primarily focuses on business strategy and communication, making it only partially relevant to an Economics degree. ABOUT Experienced Marketing Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the UPS and power conditioning industry. Skilled in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Advertising, Sales, E-commerce, and WiX. Strong marketing professional with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) focused in Economics from Northern Illinois University.

What jobs can you get with a Economics degree from Northern Illinois University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

• Assistant Store Manager
• Member Services Associate
• Customer Service Representative
• Credit Administrator
• Distribution Center
• Account Executive
• Application Specialist
• Inside Channel Account Manager
• Contributing Writer
• Staff Writer

When looking at the career paths of graduates with an Economics degree from Northern Illinois University, a lot of them seem to land jobs in management, customer service, and sales-oriented roles. Positions like Operations Manager, Assistant Store Manager, and various account management roles are popular. These jobs often touch on some business principles and occasionally apply economic thinking, especially when it comes to market strategies or operational efficiency. However, many of these roles aren't strictly related to the core concepts of economics, which might leave graduates feeling like they didn’t fully leverage their education.

In general, it appears that while some graduates do find positions where they can use their economic knowledge—like Loan Auditors or professionals in health benefits analysis—the majority of roles reflect a less direct connection to economics. Many jobs lean more towards management and operational tasks rather than engaging with classic economic theories or the heavy analytical processes you’d expect from an Economics curriculum. So, while these graduates do find employment, it seems that not all of it is super relevant to what they learned in school, which can be a bit of a letdown for some!

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Economics graduates (this is across all Economics graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Northern Illinois University):

What kind of career trajectories do Economics graduates from Northern Illinois University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Looking at the career trajectories of Economics graduates from Northern Illinois University, it seems like many of them have found their way into roles that do align somewhat with their degree. Right after graduation, a lot of these individuals started in positions that are common for recent grads, such as Account Coordinators, Junior Consultants, or even as Project Coordinators. These kinds of jobs can vary in their relevance to Economics, but they usually build foundational skills in analysis, communication, and problem-solving.

Fast forward five or ten years, and it appears that some graduates have successfully moved up into more significant roles, like Operations Managers or senior consulting positions. For instance, a graduate from 2010 has become an Operations Manager at FedEx Ground, while another has transformed their initial role into a Senior Associate Consultant position at a large tech firm. However, there are also graduates who appear to have drifted into less relevant fields, such as those having lengthy careers in retail management or health benefits that don't directly leverage their Economics education. Overall, while it's clear that some graduates are thriving in careers that connect well with their degree, others seem to be on paths that may not utilize all the skills they've learned. It's a mixed bag, but there are certainly success stories to aspire to!

How hard is a Economics degree from Northern Illinois University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Economics at Northern Illinois University or anywhere else can be a bit of a mixed bag, honestly. It’s not the easiest degree out there, but it’s also not the most brutal. You’ll definitely need to wrap your head around some math and statistics, and you might have classes that challenge your critical thinking skills, especially when you're dealing with economic theories and models. That said, if you’re the type who enjoys problem-solving and can keep up with the readings, you might find it manageable. There's usually a good support system, too, like tutoring or study groups, which can really help if you find a topic tough. Overall, it’s challenging, but not unachievable, as long as you put in the effort and stay organized!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 2 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Economics.

Do Economics graduates from Northern Illinois University tend to make good money?

Looking at these job histories, it seems like some of the Economics graduates from Northern Illinois University are doing pretty well, while others are still figuring things out. For instance, the Operations Manager at FedEx Ground and the Senior Account Representative at EESCO seem to be in more stable, higher-paying positions, which could hint at decent salaries. However, jobs like the Accounts Payable Clerk at Ulta Beauty or the Customer Service roles might not pay as well, and you can see a mix of entry-level positions and mid-level roles throughout their careers. Overall, it looks like there's a range in earning potential, but with the right experience and career moves, they have a good shot at making a solid income down the line.

What buzzwords do Economics graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Economics (this is across all Economics graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Northern Illinois University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Economics?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Economics (ordered by the average relevance score of their Economics graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College	Score	Count
University of Chicago	83	22
Northwestern University	80	26
Middlebury College	79	13
Davidson College	79	11
Miami University	78	10
Columbia University in the City of New York	78	10
University of Notre Dame	75	11
University of Maryland College Park	74	32
Villanova University	74	14
Dartmouth College	74	16
Indiana University Bloomington	73	15
University of Michigan	73	51
University of California, Berkeley	73	56
The University of Texas at Dallas	73	12
Boston College	73	33
Harvard University	73	20
The Ohio State University	72	26
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	72	26
Binghamton University	72	18
Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick	71	11
Hillsdale College	71	13
Penn State University	70	51
Clemson University	70	17
University of Utah	70	19
University of Minnesota	70	13
Duke University	70	13
The University of Texas at Austin	69	44
Michigan State University	69	33
The University of Georgia	69	12
University of Pennsylvania	69	18
Yale University	69	15
Florida International University	68	18
Hamilton College	68	14
University of North Texas	67	14
Brigham Young University	67	26
University of California, Los Angeles	67	44
Colorado State University	67	15
Boston University	67	13
University of Massachusetts, Amherst	67	10
Vanderbilt University	67	19
Arizona State University	66	30
UC Santa Barbara	66	19
William & Mary	66	11
University of Massachusetts Boston	66	10
College of the Holy Cross	66	17
University of South Florida	65	15
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	65	24
James Madison University	65	11
University of Colorado Boulder	65	26
University of Southern California	65	24
University of Maryland	65	23
Syracuse University	65	11
University of California, San Diego	65	15
Fordham University	65	15
Stanford University	65	12
University of Wisconsin-Madison	64	48
University of Houston	64	19
San Diego State University-California State University	64	13
University of Florida	63	35
New York University	63	37
University of Virginia	63	30
University of Connecticut	63	23
University of California San Diego	63	11
Texas A&M University	62	46
University of Pittsburgh	62	20
Northeastern University	61	16
Cornell University	61	18
University of Miami	61	14
University at Albany, SUNY	61	18
University of California, Davis	60	33
University of California, Santa Cruz	60	11
University at Buffalo	60	16
Virginia Commonwealth University	59	11
Texas Christian University	59	16
Tufts University	59	10
Spelman College	59	12
Occidental College	59	11
Florida State University	58	37
University of Oregon	58	24
UC Irvine	58	13
Stony Brook University	58	10
The George Washington University	58	14
Emory University	58	11
University of Iowa	57	13
Santa Clara University	57	11
University of Washington	56	29
Rutgers University	56	15
Loyola Marymount University	56	11
University of Central Florida	55	12
University of Arizona	55	16
University of Hawaii at Manoa	55	12
Southern Methodist University	55	13
Georgia State University	54	17
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	54	16
Denison University	54	13
California State University-Sacramento	53	19
George Mason University	53	22
University of Delaware	53	11
San Diego State University	51	17
Northern Illinois University	51	12
University of California, Irvine	51	10
University of Georgia - Terry College of Business	51	10
Queens College	50	16
The University of Texas at Arlington	48	12
University of California, Riverside	48	14
North Carolina State University	46	10
San Jose State University	45	16
University of Nevada-Las Vegas	44	10
Baruch College	44	11
Wake Forest University	44	11
University of South Carolina	38	10
Temple University	35	11
United States Military Academy at West Point	23	15