What is the difference between an economics degree & a finance degree?

Question

Which one has better long term potential in the job market?

Answer 1

A traditional economics degree is good if you want to teach economics. Unfortunately, most of the models taught in school are not accurate in the real world. There is some original and more accurate work/modeling being done in Utah through private funding, but it's not reached academia just yet. If you like writing and publishing papers, this might be up your alley.

Finance is a very practical degree. It typically requires more business courses and it deals with the financial instruments and financial markets used by businesses. Typically, you will also want to take accounting.

Personally, I prefer a field that has real human benefits, even if it meant shoveling manure. Unfortunately, too many companies make "paper profits" by shuffling their accounting and finances around. Have you ever heard of Enron? Wait... that is shoveling manure around.