Amherst vs Richmond for economics: which is better for an undergrad interested in econ?

For economics specifically, Amherst generally has the stronger academic reputation and the deeper overall economics environment. Its economics major is one of the most popular on campus, the department is large for a liberal arts college, and students benefit from the open curriculum, which gives you a lot of freedom to build a rigorous econ path with math, statistics, and related social science courses. If your priority is the strongest pure academic platform in econ, Amherst usually comes out ahead.

Amherst’s econ department is well known in liberal arts circles for serious theory and quantitative training, and upper-level offerings tend to be strong because there is a large concentration of students and faculty in the field. You also get access to the broader Five College ecosystem, which can add options in related areas.

Richmond is still a very solid choice, especially if you want a liberal arts setting with strong teaching and a business-adjacent environment. Its economics department is respected, and the university setting can create useful connections across areas like leadership, finance, and commerce. In upper-level classes, Richmond can feel more applied and professionally oriented, which some students prefer.

The biggest difference is that Amherst tends to offer more prestige in economics and a more intense academic culture around the major, while Richmond may feel more balanced and practical. If you mean “better” as in strongest department and most robust upper-level econ experience, Amherst is the better bet. If you want econ in a somewhat more career-connected campus environment, Richmond can be very appealing.