Best Economics Programs in Minnesota for 2027

The Twin Cities College of Liberal Arts offers three economics majors inside the BA and one inside the BS, and the plain BA Economics is the least quantitative of the three. It leaves room to choose courses in game theory, industrial organization, cost-benefit analysis, development, environmental and financial economics, and more. Business Economics and Quantitative emphases sit beside it, and the quantitative emphasis and BS ask for four foundation courses instead of three. A C-minus or better is required in every major course, and the math entry point is Short Calculus or Calculus I.

Related Majors

BA Business Economics Emphasis, BA Quantitative Emphasis and a BS in Economics

Math Entry

Short Calculus or Calculus I, with prerequisite math if needed

Grade Rule

C-minus or better in all major courses

Program Sources: BA in Economics | College of Liberal Arts | University of Minnesota

Carleton's economics major runs on a core sequence that has to be finished by the end of junior year: principles of macro and micro, statistics or calculus, and intermediate theory and econometrics. Four electives numbered 215 and above follow, and they can include Advanced Research in Economics. Seniors complete a three-credit integrative exercise, and juniors and seniors together must earn six talk credits by attending department lectures, visiting-speaker talks and job talks. Advanced seminars on topics such as sports economics, development and urban economics are offered in rotating terms.

Senior Requirement

Three-credit integrative exercise (comps)

Talk Credits

Six credits across junior and senior years from department lectures and visiting speakers

Core Deadline

Core sequence finished by the end of junior year

Program Sources: Requirements | Economics | Carleton College

St. Olaf offers two economics majors and invites you to pick based on your plans. The Quantitative Economics major requires linear algebra and two courses with quantitative research, either advanced mathematical modeling or econometrics, and the department steers students headed for graduate study, finance, economic research or regulatory affairs toward it. The regular Economics major is built for any student, and a student who skips the higher math can still finish it comfortably. Courses apply theory to trade, environmental protection, health care, development, taxes, Federal Reserve policy and business regulation.

Two Majors

Economics and Quantitative Economics

Quantitative Requirements

Linear algebra plus two quantitative research courses, modeling or econometrics

Best Fit

Quantitative track for graduate study, finance, research or regulatory careers

Program Sources: Economics | St. Olaf College Catalog

Macalester frames economics around inequality, prosperity and power, and its faculty research covers financial markets, global poverty, international trade, urban redevelopment, the informal economy, health and environmental policy. Students often co-author papers and present at conferences before graduating, which makes the major a research apprenticeship as much as a course list. Many study away, and many intern in the Twin Cities in finance, policy, consulting and community development, work that frequently turns into full-time jobs through a deep alumni network reaching Wall Street, Washington and the World Bank.

Student Research

Co-authored papers and conference presentations before graduation

Faculty Topics

Global poverty, trade, urban redevelopment, informal economy, health, environment

Experience Path

Study away plus Twin Cities internships

Program Sources: Economics | Macalester College

St. Thomas runs the largest economics department of any private college or university in Minnesota, and it spreads that across five undergraduate routes: the BA in Economics plus BS degrees in Business Economics, International Economics, Mathematical Economics and Public Policy Economics. The BA starts with core theory, adds mathematics, statistics and econometrics, and then gives you twelve credits of electives in topics such as international trade, money and banking, sports, healthcare markets and forecasting. An Econ living-learning community and a student club connect majors outside class.

Five Routes

BA in Economics and BS degrees in business, international, mathematical and public policy economics

Elective Room

Twelve credits of additional economics courses to tailor the degree

Community

Econ living-learning community and Economics Club

Program Sources: Bachelor of Arts in Economics | University of St. ThomasEconomics | College of Arts and Sciences | University of St. Thomas

Gustavus teaches economics as a blend of theory and finance principles applied to real markets, with sports and healthcare markets named as examples. Courses include a price-theory course that applies optimization to cases such as airline regulation, taxicab licensing, discrimination and the subprime mortgage crisis, and a sports economics course that uses player statistics to test economic ideas. The college lists banking, finance and risk management as typical landing spots. A separate Financial Economics major sits in the same department for students who want a finance-first path.

Price Theory Cases

Airline regulation, taxicab licensing, discrimination, subprime mortgage crisis

Sports Economics

Uses player statistics to illustrate economic concepts

Related Major

Financial Economics in the same department

Program Sources: Economics | Gustavus Adolphus College

Mankato's Economics BS is built on a business foundation: accounting, business law, finance, marketing, management and operations courses are all required alongside the economics core of principles, business statistics, mathematical economics, intermediate micro and macro, and an econometrics writing course. Students then pick 12 credits from restricted electives such as money and banking, labor, central banking, urban economics and the economics of unions. Anyone planning graduate school in economics gets a short list of recommended mathematics and economics courses that are not required.

Business Foundation

Accounting, business law, finance, marketing, management and operations required

Restricted Electives

12 credits, including money and banking, labor, central banking and urban economics

Graduate School Prep

Recommended mathematical economics, calculus and econometrics courses

Program Sources: Economics (BS) | Minnesota State University, Mankato Catalog

Duluth's economics BA sits in the Labovitz School of Business and Economics and is taught by faculty who focus on real-world applications. It pairs well with majors or minors in political science, sociology, math or statistics. Coursework uses real data sets, policy case studies and business simulations, and specialized electives cover environmental, health, sports and development economics. Students can collaborate with faculty or pursue their own project through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program or independent study. The core questions are when markets work efficiently and when externalities or imperfect information cause them to fail.

Specialized Electives

Environmental, health, sports and development economics

Research Route

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program or independent study

Learning Method

Real datasets, policy case studies and business simulations

Program Sources: Economics B.A. | University of Minnesota Duluth

St. Cloud State's undergraduate economics degree is a STEM-designated BS in Business Economics, aimed at forecasting, market research and policy analysis at private firms and agencies. The curriculum stresses the practical side of theory with advanced microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and forecasting. Undergraduates with a 3.3 GPA can enter the five-year BS/MS track, taking 500 and 600-level courses before graduation and finishing a Master of Science in Applied Economics in one extra year. A Business Economics minor and a student economics association round out the options.

STEM Designation

Business Economics BS carries the STEM label

Five-Year BS/MS

3.3 GPA entry, graduate courses count toward the bachelor's

Career Focus

Forecasting, market research and policy analysis

Program Sources: Programs in the Department of Economics | St. Cloud State University

Minnesota expects entering economics doctoral students to have multivariable calculus and linear algebra, and looks for exposure to economic theory beyond the intermediate undergraduate level. Its dissertation workshop system is a distinctive part of later training. Students present developing research in weekly faculty-led workshops held on campus or at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Workshop areas include growth and development, international finance, public economics, and economic theory.

Entry Preparation

Multivariate calculus and linear algebra, plus exposure to theory beyond intermediate undergraduate level

Dissertation Workshops

Weekly faculty-led workshops in areas such as growth and development, international finance, public economics and economic theory

Workshop Locations

On campus or at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Support

Admitted students are offered financial support; no separate master's program

Program Sources: Workshops and Conferences | Minnesota EconomicsHow to Apply to the PhD Program | Minnesota Economics