Should I choose Northwestern or Swarthmore for economics?

Northwestern has the edge for economics if you want the stronger overall undergraduate experience in the field. Its economics department is larger, offers more upper-level course variety, and sits inside a major research university where undergraduates can tap into policy, business-adjacent, and quantitative opportunities across schools and institutes. For a student who wants breadth, flexibility, and easier access to a wide range of econ subfields, Northwestern is hard to beat.

One clear difference is scale within the major. Northwestern’s department supports more faculty, more specialized electives, and more chances to explore areas like econometrics, industrial organization, labor, development, political economy, and finance-related coursework. That matters because many students enter economics with only a broad interest, and Northwestern makes it easier to refine that into a specific path without running out of options.

Another advantage is the surrounding academic ecosystem. Northwestern students can benefit from strong quantitative training, and access to research centers and interdisciplinary work in math, statistics, political science, and public policy. For economics, that kind of infrastructure often translates into more research openings, seminars, and practical exposure beyond the standard classroom experience.

Swarthmore is excellent in a different way: smaller classes, very close faculty attention, and a serious intellectual culture that can be especially appealing if you want discussion-heavy learning and tight mentorship. Its economics program is respected, and for some students the liberal arts setting leads to stronger writing, sharper classroom engagement, and better professor relationships. But if the question is the stronger overall economics experience specifically, Northwestern offers more depth, more range, and more doors within the discipline.