Emory vs Tufts for economics: which is better for undergraduate econ students?

For undergraduate economics, Emory often appeals more to students who want a traditional economics department with strong quantitative training, close faculty access, and easy integration with business-adjacent interests through Goizueta. Tufts tends to fit students who want economics in a more policy-oriented, interdisciplinary environment, especially if they are drawn to international affairs, public policy, or development-related questions. Both can prepare you well for internships and grad school, but the day-to-day academic feel is a bit different.

Emory is a strong match for the student who wants economics to connect directly with finance, consulting, data analysis, or pre-PhD preparation while staying in a medium-sized private university setting. Atlanta is also a real advantage for internships during the academic year, especially in corporate, healthcare, nonprofit, and policy-related settings.

Tufts is especially attractive for the student who sees economics as part of a broader social science lens rather than mainly a business or finance track. Its economics culture often feels tied to international studies, political science, and public policy, which can be a plus if you are interested in global development, public sector work, or issue-driven research. The Boston-area location also creates strong access to internships.

For research, both schools offer meaningful undergraduate access, but Emory may feel a little more straightforward if you want to build close ties within the economics department itself and pursue RA work with faculty in a focused way. Tufts can be especially rewarding if your interests cut across economics and another field, since the school has a very interdisciplinary undergraduate culture.

For grad school preparation, either can work well if you take the mathematically rigorous path, including calculus, statistics, and ideally more advanced quantitative coursework. I would lean Emory for a student who wants economics with stronger business and analytics adjacency, and Tufts for someone who wants economics embedded in policy, international, and cross-disciplinary study.