Arizona State or Dartmouth for economics: which is the better choice for an undergraduate econ major?

Dartmouth is the better choice for an undergraduate economics major. Its economics department has a stronger national academic reputation, the major is housed in a small undergraduate-focused environment, and students benefit from unusually close access to professors, research, and recruiting for finance, consulting, policy, and top graduate programs.

One big differentiator is class environment. At Dartmouth, economics students are taught in a liberal arts setting where undergraduates are the center of the institution, so faculty attention, seminar-style discussion, and department access tend to be much more personal. That matters in econ because strong recommendation letters, research experience, and quantitative mentorship can shape internships and post-grad options.

Another difference is recruiting and alumni reach. Dartmouth has very strong pipelines into investment banking, consulting, economic research, and selective graduate study, especially because employers recruit heavily on campus and the alumni network is known for being responsive. For a student who may want high-end private sector opportunities or a top PhD or policy path later, that network is a real advantage.

ASU still has real strengths, especially if cost is dramatically lower or if you want the resources of a very large public university. It offers more scale, more course variety across business and public policy, and strong access to a major metropolitan area through Phoenix. A motivated student can absolutely do well there in economics, but the experience is likely to be less intimate and more self-directed than at Dartmouth.

For pure undergraduate economics quality and the doors it tends to open, Dartmouth has the clearer edge. The main reason to pick ASU would be financial, or if you specifically want the atmosphere and flexibility of a large public university.