Career Planning

This page contains information on the following:

What Do ECON Graduates Do?

"What kind of job can I get by studying economics?” It's 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
  • Banking
  • Data
  • Human Resources
  • Business
  • Accounting
  • Investments
  • International Affairs
  • Tech
  • Government
  • Consulting
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Law

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

  • Investment Operations Analyst, Cascade Asset Management
  • Research Analyst, U.S. Department of the Treasury
  • Program Manager, Spirit of America
  • Wealth Management Intern, Merriman Wealth Management
  • Data Operations Associate, PitchBook Data
  • Talent Acquisition Coordinator, Holland America Line
  • 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
  • Consultant, Atlantic Counsel GeoEconomics Center
  • Economic Data Analyst, Zillow
  • Policy Analysis Intern, ECONorthwest
  • 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
  • Service Analyst, Liberty Mutual Insurance
  • Human Resources Associate, Infinx
  • Private Bank Analyst, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
  • Advisory Consultant, Deloitte
  • Procurement Analyst, Boeing
  • Data Engineer, Meta
  • Strategic Financial Analyst, Cambia Health Solutions
  • International Trade Intern, Washington State Department of Commerce
  • Financial Analyst Intern, Amazon
  • Marketing Intern, Microsoft
  • Resource Planning Analyst, T-Mobile
  • Legal Intern, Civil Rights Justice Center
  • Financial Operations Analyst, Slalom

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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