Boston University or Brandeis for economics: which is better?

For economics, Boston University usually makes more sense for the student who wants a larger, more professionally connected program with especially strong access to internships during the school year. BU’s location in Boston is a real advantage for econ students interested in finance, consulting, policy, healthcare economics, or business analytics, and its economics department is well established with a broad course selection. If you want a busier, more urban environment where internships can be woven into the semester more easily, BU has the edge.

BU is especially appealing for someone who wants scale and options. You are more likely to find a wider range of econ electives, more adjacent programs to pair with economics, and a larger alumni network in Boston and beyond. For a student who is career-focused early and wants to test different paths through internships, networking, and cross-registration within a big university setting, that matters.

Brandeis fits a different kind of student really well: someone who wants economics in a smaller, more intimate academic environment with easier faculty access and a stronger emphasis on close mentorship. Brandeis has a respected economics department, and students often find it easier to build relationships with professors, which can be very helpful for research, strong recommendation letters, and a more discussion-based classroom experience. If your priority is not just studying econ but being known well by the people teaching it, Brandeis can be very attractive.

Brandeis is also worth a close look if you think you may want research opportunities earlier and in a more accessible way. At a smaller university, motivated students can sometimes get involved more directly with faculty projects rather than navigating a larger system. That can be especially useful if you are considering graduate school, policy research, or a more academic economics path.

So the real difference is less about one school having a clearly superior economics major and more about what kind of student experience you want around that major. BU leans toward breadth, city access, and internship energy. Brandeis leans toward mentorship, smaller classes, and a more personal academic setting.