Masters in Econ seems useless

[PrezRand]

I do not understand how the median earning for someone with this degree is 6 figures (according to Forbes). I have looked at a variety of programs: NYU, Michigan, Georgetown, Texas, Duke, Boston, George Washington, JHU, USC, and now UCLA. The only three that seem remotely decent are NYU, Texas, and Duke. These programs, including the applied economic programs, all look like programs where students either did not get into a PhD or did not have the coursework to apply. 

 

I am interested in economic consulting and possibly working for a think tank/public sector. Economics is my passion, but I am really aggravated by the lack of opportunities for a masters even though many claim the demand for economics is growing. 

 

Am I wrong or can someone help me/

[ExponentialDecay]

Any and all academic MA programs in the US are for students who didn't get into the PhD or didn't have the coursework to apply. Consider going abroad. If you are a solid statistician with research experience, you will be recruited into economic consulting from the BA. If you are not a solid statistician with research experience, you won't get into the PhD partly because you won't have the coursework to apply, so you will end up doing the master's anyway.

[PrezRand]

Any and all academic MA programs in the US are for students who didn't get into the PhD or didn't have the coursework to apply. Consider going abroad. If you are a solid statistician with research experience, you will be recruited into economic consulting from the BA. If you are not a solid statistician with research experience, you won't get into the PhD partly because you won't have the coursework to apply, so you will end up doing the master's anyway.

Does this mean a MA in econ can help me get recruited into economic consulting?

[DGrayson]

There are a couple of reasons to consider getting a masters degree, though many of them involve boosting your prep for Ph.D placements. I'm currently attending UT and a little more than half of our cohort are planning on getting jobs after the program. UT has a really good program in terms of networking and finding jobs after. I recommend it highly! 

[apollohelios]

On 9/4/2015 at 10:49 AM, MAC2809 said:

I don't believe a MA in economics is useless, just don't expect to be an economist. I don't remember the last time a Wallstreet executive actually had Ph.D in econ...

Aren't WallStreet executives more versed in Finance?