How should I choose between Harvard and Amherst for studying economics?

For a student who wants the widest economics course selection, easy access to research and policy-facing opportunities, and a large university setting, Harvard is the stronger match. Amherst is the more compelling choice if your priority is close faculty relationships and a discussion-centered liberal-arts classroom experience.

Harvard’s location and scale create unusually direct pathways into economics beyond the classroom. Cambridge and Boston offer proximity to research centers, startups, nonprofits, government-related work, consulting, and finance, while Harvard faculty and institutes make it easier to encounter active research and high-profile speakers. The tradeoff is that introductory courses can be large, and students need to be proactive about office hours, research applications, and building relationships.

At Amherst, economics students typically learn in smaller classes and can expect more sustained interaction with professors, particularly after introductory coursework. The open curriculum also leaves substantial room to combine economics with mathematics, computer science, politics, environmental studies, or another interest without navigating a rigid core. Through the Five College Consortium, Amherst students can also take courses at Smith, Mount Holyoke, Hampshire, and UMass Amherst, broadening the academic menu while retaining a small-college home base.