UC Berkeley vs Dartmouth for economics: which is better for undergrads?

For undergraduate economics, UC Berkeley has the stronger overall reputation in the field, especially if you care about the breadth and influence of the department itself.

The biggest reason to pick Berkeley is academic scale. You will find more course variety, more specialized upper-level electives, and more faculty across subfields, which matters if your interests may shift between business-oriented economics and public policy. Being near the Bay Area also helps with internships in finance, consulting, tech, and policy-adjacent organizations, and Berkeley’s name carries a lot of weight in economics circles.

The biggest reason to pick Dartmouth instead is the undergraduate experience. Dartmouth’s economics department is excellent, but the draw is smaller classes, easier access to professors, and a campus culture built much more around undergraduates. If you want close faculty mentorship, a tighter academic community, and a less bureaucratic environment, Dartmouth can feel meaningfully better day to day even if Berkeley has the more powerful department overall.

For someone interested in both business and public policy, Berkeley also has an edge because the ecosystem around economics is unusually rich.

What school matters for this major depends partly on your goals. For PhD-prep or wanting the most academically formidable econ department, Berkeley stands out. For someone who values teaching access, advising, and a more intimate college experience, Dartmouth may produce a smoother and more supported undergrad path even though Berkeley is the more prominent name in economics.