Some career opportunities for graduates of each major are identified below. Although most students accept jobs upon graduation, some students continue their education in graduation school. The department offers an accelerated 4+1 masters program in resource economics.
Students who are considering going to graduate school in any field of economics should supplement departmental requirements with additional math courses. Consult with your advisor to learn more about the math courses recommended for students wishing to pursue graduate school in economics.
View more about our 4+1 program here.
B.S. Managerial Economics
Managerial Economics is an applied field of economics that concentrates on the application of economic principles and quantitative techniques to study business decision making. Students develop expertise in accounting, finance, business strategies, and market demand analysis. They also engage in work related to industrial organization, public policy, experimental economics, and behavioral economics. Microeconomic models and case studies are incorporated into the curriculum to demonstrate how an individual can make wise choices to operate effectively within a complex economy of millions of businesses linked by thousands of markets. Managerial Economics career opportunities include research, planning, marketing, and managerial positions in a wide range of firms, non-profits, and governmental agencies. Recent graduates hold positions in financial analysis, data analytics, sales, recruiting, banking, merchandising, consulting, market research, and strategic planning. Many students also choose to pursue graduate school in Resource Economics, Economics, Public Policy, and Business Administration.
B.S. Environmental & Natural Resource Economics
Resource Economics prepares students to assist in public and private decisions about environmental and natural resource issues. Population and income growth are increasing the pressure on our resources, making allocation, management, and protection decisions among our top priorities. Water quality and supply, environmental and energy policy, climate change, air pollution, and clean energy are some of the issues studied. Students learn to apply decision making tools such as benefit-cost, risk-benefit, and cost effectiveness analysis. They also engage in work related to environmental economics, natural resource economics, public policy, experimental economics, and behavioral economics. Resource Economics prepares graduates for careers in research, planning, education, and administration with federal, state, or community governments, as well as businesses or non-profit entities that provide services in various sustainability, environmental and natural resource areas. Many students also pursue graduate school in Resource Economics, Economics, or Public Policy.
Employment
Our majors receive a strong foundation in mathematics and quantitative analysis, problem-solving, critical thinking, organizational development and analysis of human behavior along with insights into firm and public-policy decision-making. With this skill set, our undergraduate majors are prepared for success in a wide-variety of fields. Prior to graduation, many secure roles such as Data Analyst, Business Developer, Operations Manager, Client Manager, Buyer, Sales Associate, Auditor, Financial Advisor, Marketing Associate, and much more! To learn more about two popular roles, see below.
Where Do Our Majors Go?
Our graduates span the globe. There is truly opportunity everywhere for Resource Economics and Managerial Economics students! Many graduates also opt to stay in the Commonwealth, where green energy, technology, and other businesses are flourishing. Here is just a small sampling of companies that employ our undergraduates:
- Clean Energy: ISO New England, Level Solar, Solar Five
- Financial Institutions: BlackRock, Ernst & Young, Fidelity, JP Morgan Chase, State Street
- Government Agencies: Bureau of Labor Statistics, State/Town Departments (Public Works, Recreation, Transportation), United States Military
- Healthcare: Athena Health, Dana Farber
- Insurance: The Hanover Insurance Group, Liberty Mutual, Travelers
- Retail: Anheuser-Busch, Chewy, TJX Company, Volkswagen
- Technology & Social Media: Black Duck, Dell, Epsilon, LinkedIn, Oracle, Verizon, VM Turbo
How Much Do Our Majors Make?
According to the 2022 UMass Amherst Graduating Senior Survey open response data, undergraduates directly entering the workforce after graduation make an average annual income of $60,000.
What About Graduate School?
While Resource Economics and Managerial Economics majors are well suited to enter the workforce in competitive jobs without immediate further studies, graduate school is an exciting alternative. Graduate studies provide an excellent way to further develop a particular skill set, delve deeper into your passions, and open doors to new employment opportunities such as academia, research, and project lead or specialist roles. Our students pursue degrees in fields such as:
- Accounting
- Analytics
- Business
- Energy Management
- Economics
- Environmental Economics
- Finance
- Law
- Public Policy
- Resource Economics