Should I choose Michigan State or Dartmouth for economics?

The biggest practical tradeoff is scale versus intimacy: Michigan State gives you a large public university with broad options, big-campus energy, and more self-directed navigation, while Dartmouth offers a much smaller undergraduate-focused environment with tighter access to professors and a more residential campus culture. For economics specifically, Dartmouth is known for a very strong undergrad focus in the department, small classes relative to most large publics, and strong placement into finance, consulting, and graduate study. Michigan State has a solid economics program too, but the experience is more likely to depend on how proactively you seek out honors courses, faculty relationships, and research opportunities within a much larger student body.

If you want your economics education to feel personal and discussion-heavy, Dartmouth has a real edge. Its smaller size matters in practical ways: office hours can be more central to the academic experience, advising tends to feel less bureaucratic, and classmates are often deeply engaged across the liberal arts. That can be especially valuable in economics, where writing, policy discussion, and close faculty mentorship often shape the strongest undergrad outcomes.

Michigan State’s advantage is breadth and flexibility. You get the resources of a major research university, a wider range of campus communities, and the classic Big Ten atmosphere. For some students, that translates into a better overall experience because there is more room to explore different academic interests, more variety in student life, and less social intensity than can come with a smaller campus.

The environment outside class is also quite different. Dartmouth is more isolated and residential, with a close-knit social scene that many students love but some find limiting. Michigan State is larger, more sprawling, and often easier to experience on your own terms. That difference matters almost as much as the economics department itself.

For undergrad economics alone, Dartmouth is the stronger option. The department’s undergraduate orientation, the access to faculty, and the overall academic culture make it a more compelling place to study economics. Michigan State can still be a very good choice, especially if affordability, school spirit, or a large-campus setting fits you better, but on academic fit for econ, Dartmouth stands out.