Is Dartmouth or Northwestern better for economics undergrad?

Both are excellent for undergraduate economics, and the better choice depends more on the kind of student experience you want than on any major gap in academic quality. Dartmouth is especially appealing for someone who wants a smaller, more intimate college setting with close faculty access and a very undergraduate-centered culture. Northwestern tends to suit students who want a larger university environment, more variety around economics, and easier access to a major city during the school year.

Dartmouth works well for the student who wants economics to feel personal and discussion-oriented. The department is well regarded, the college is heavily focused on undergraduates, and students often benefit from strong professor relationships, research opportunities, and a tight alumni network. That can matter a lot for internships, finance recruiting, consulting, and graduate school mentoring. If you like the idea of classmates knowing one another well, smaller-scale campus life, and a traditional residential college feel, Dartmouth has a real advantage.

Northwestern makes sense for the student who wants economics within a broader university ecosystem. You get a strong econ department, but also a lot of adjacent strengths through math, statistics, political science, data science, journalism, and the Kellogg certificate options available to undergrads later on. Being in Evanston with easy access to Chicago is a concrete plus for internships, events, and employer exposure during the academic year, especially if your interests might move toward policy, business, analytics, or media-related applications of economics.

For pure undergraduate teaching and a classic liberal-arts-style experience inside a university, Dartmouth often stands out more. For flexibility, interdisciplinary options, and city-connected opportunities, Northwestern has the edge. In terms of outcomes after graduation, both place students very well, so this is less about one school being clearly stronger in economics and more about whether you want a close-knit undergraduate college or a more expansive research university setting.