What can you do with a Economics degree from UC Irvine?

First, some facts. Of the Economics graduates from UC Irvine 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 13 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 58%, Economics graduates from UC Irvine have a lower likelihood (-9%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 58%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

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

× Chart

Also, after graduating, only 15% 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:

View a random Economics graduate from UC Irvine and our analysis:


Relevance score: 100%

We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2019 from UC Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts - BA in Economics. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Junior Private Equity Associate
Haitong Securities
Jan 2020 - Present
As a Junior Private Equity Associate, the role directly utilizes economic principles and analytical skills developed during the Bachelor's in Economics, making it highly relevant.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Economics degree from UC Irvine?

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


So, when we look at the jobs held by UC Irvine Economics grads, it's a mixed bag. A lot of them leap into roles like financial analysts, accountants, or loan surveillance analysts, which are super relevant to Economics since these positions deal with financial analysis, decision-making, and the application of economic principles. On the other hand, there are quite a few who end up in roles that aren't really tied to their degree, like software engineers, sales managers, and design consultants. These positions often prioritize skills unrelated to economics, focusing more on operational tasks, customer service, or creative tasks.

Overall, while some graduates have found careers where they can flex their economics muscles and apply what they learned in school, many others have strayed into fields that barely scratch the surface of economic theory. This indicates that, while an Economics degree can certainly open doors, graduates often find themselves in jobs that require a broader set of skills or different expertise altogether. So, if you're considering majoring in Economics, it’s worth thinking about what kind of job you actually want to do afterward and how closely that aligns with your studies!

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 UC Irvine):

What kind of career trajectories do Economics graduates from UC Irvine have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

When you look at the career trajectories of UC Irvine Economics graduates, it's pretty clear that a lot of them end up in roles that are either directly related to finance, analytics, or operations in their early careers. For instance, many graduates score their first jobs in consulting, analysis, or sales, which makes sense given their training in critical thinking and data analysis. As they gain experience—say, five years down the line—they often move into mid-level roles that require more responsibility, like financial analyst positions or management roles in operations. You can see this pattern pretty clearly; many graduates who start in entry-level roles end up climbing the ladder in finance, consulting, or tech-related jobs by their fifth year or so.

However, it’s worth noting that not every graduate sticks strictly to economics-related careers. Some venture into diverse fields such as interior design or software engineering, suggesting that the versatile skill set they acquire during their studies can lend itself to various industries. By the ten-year mark, many alumni gain significant experience, often holding managerial or higher-ranked positions, particularly in finance or tech. Overall, while some grads may meander a bit off the economics path, most seem to find solid ground in careers that utilize their degree effectively, leading to promising outcomes over time.

How hard is a Economics degree from UC Irvine?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Economics at UC Irvine is definitely a solid challenge, but it's not the hardest thing out there. The coursework can get pretty intense, especially with the math and analytical aspects, but if you have a decent grasp of algebra and enjoy problem-solving, you should be able to keep up. It’s a step up from high school, so you'll need to stay organized and manage your time well, but most students find that with some effort, they can handle the material. Overall, it’s about average difficulty—definitely requires commitment, but it's doable!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Economics.

Do Economics graduates from UC Irvine tend to make good money?

Looking at these UC Irvine grads’ career paths, it seems like most of them are doing pretty well, especially the ones who got into finance or tech. Graduates from 2010 through 2018 have landed roles in banking, financial analysis, and software engineering, fields that generally pay decent salaries, particularly as they gain experience and move up the ladder. For example, those in finance like the AVP Analyst seem to be advancing into higher-paying positions pretty quickly. On the other hand, some grads in areas like design and sales may have more variable incomes depending on the job and company. Overall, while not every job screams big bucks, many of these people appear to be on a solid financial path straight out of college!

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 UC Irvine). 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