A career in Economics... it's much more than you think.

This brief educational video, developed by the American Economic Association, will be of interest to students who are evaluating career options in economics or may have wondered what types of professionals utilize economics in various fields. Economics departments and placement offices are encouraged to share this useful tool with prospective and first year students.



A career in Economics...it's much more than you think

Much more than finance, banking, business and government, a degree in economics is useful to all individuals and can lead to many interesting career choices. These four diverse individuals offer their insights on how a background in economics can be a tool for solving very human problems.

A Spanish edition is also available.

  • Marcella Alsan, a physician of infectious disease, discusses why she needed to pursue a degree in economics to improve the lives of her patients.
  • Randall Lewis, a research scientist at Google, uses economics and "big data" as tools to improve the functioning of markets.
  • Britni Wilcher, a PhD student of economics, offers insight on some misconceptions about economists and factors influencing her career path decision.
  • Peter Henry, dean at the NYU Stern School of Business, points to the true nature of economics and the importance of diverse voices informing the field.