Career Planning

This page contains information on the following:

What Do ECON Graduates Do?

"What kind of job can I get by studying economics?” is a common questions asked by many ECON students. However, there is no simple answer! Our graduates advance toward a wide variety of interesting fields and careers. Take a look at what our recent grads are doing:

Fields of interest:

  • Finance/Accounting/Wealth Management
  • Data Science/Information Systems
  • Human Resources
  • Government/Public Policy/International Affairs
  • Consulting
  • Education
  • Healthcare

Examples of early career roles of recent UW Economics alumni (updated Summer 2022):

  • Investment Operations Analyst, Cascade Asset Management
  • Research Analyst, U.S. Department of the Treasury
  • Consultant, EY
  • Technical Recruiting Coordinator, Amazon Web Services
  • Equities Investment Strategy Intern, Parametric
  • Business Intelligence Analyst, Google
  • International Trade Policy & Research Intern, Bryant Christie Inc.
  • Bookkeeper, Safeway
  • Actuarial Associate, Symetra
  • Fund Analyst, Russell Investments
  • Forecast Analyst, Eddie Bauer
  • Research Assistant, Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation
  • Operations Analyst, Goldman Sachs
  • Planning & Development Intern, City of Seattle
  • Data Scientist, Starbucks
  • Real Estate Broker, Windermere Real Estate
  • Procurement Analyst, Boeing
  • Data Engineer, Meta
  • International Trade Intern, Washington State Department of Commerce
  • Financial Analyst Intern, Amazon
  • Resource Planning Analyst, T-Mobile
  • Legal Intern, Civil Rights Justice Center

These examples (and many more!) were found on LinkedIn. To explore and find more career pathways taken by UW Economics alumni, try a search for yourself:

  • Access LinkedIn.
  • Search "University of Washington".
  • Click "Alumni".
  • Click "Next".
  • Under "What They Studied", select "Economics".
  • Explore the various profiles and exciting career pathways!

 Career Search Resources

The Career & Internship Center in 134 Mary Gates Hall provides excellent information to help students find employment, and also assists students in career planning and in finding a career. Some of the services offered include:

  • Resume review
  • Starting a cover letter
  • Networking
  • Interview preparation
  • Career fair
  • Exploring Handshake
  • Employer Panels
  • Understanding how recruiting works
  • Lots of workshops!

We also invite you to Find Your Community to access resources and advice for particular communities and identities.

The UW Alumni Association and its Husky Landing program can also be a helpful resource! Some of the services offered include:

  • Career connections
  • Expanding your professional network
  • Finding fellow alumni
  • Accessing mentorship

The Washington Occupational Information System contains valuable information including detailed profiles for all jobs in the State of Washington, online career assessments and resources, and information about various schools and programs.

The Economics Advising Office can also sign students up to their econjobs email list. Any career and internship information is sent to students via this list as well as to our blog. The Economics Undergraduate Board and the Department Alumni host various workshops, forums, and networking events throughout the year.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) information for international students

International students wishing to work in the United States after graduation must apply for OPT.

You are eligible to apply for OPT if you meet the following criteria:

  • You are currently in F-1 status.
  • You have been enrolled in a full course of study for one academic year (three quarters, including final exams weeks) or will complete one academic year by the date the OPT approval begins.
  • You have not exceeded 12 months of full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization. (Part-time CPT does not affect OPT eligibility.)
  • You do not need a job offer first; you can apply for OPT without a job offer.

For additional information, including how to apply for OPT, visit the International Student Services website.

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