The University of Wyoming College of Business’ economics program has been recognized by TFE Times as among the Top 25 Best Master’s of Economics Programs for 2024, coming in at No. 24.
TFE Times is an online platform that focuses on business, culture and technology news.
The online publication based its master’s degree program ranking on average (mean) Graduate Record Examination scores; mean starting salary and bonus; mean undergraduate grade-point average; acceptance rate; full-time graduates employed at graduation; and full-time graduates employed three months after graduation.
“Our economics program is being recognized and ranked higher than 120 other universities in the nation,” says Jason Shogren, Stroock Chair of Natural Resource Conservation and Management in the UW College of Business Department of Economics.
The program has initiated a “quick start” through which students can earn master’s and bachelor’s degrees in five years.
“That has got a lot of students re-excited in the program, and we have been able to place them in a lot of different places,” Shogren says. “I think the program trains them well in good, applied microeconomics. By good economics, we mean the ability to estimate cost and benefits today and over time and then be able to put together a story to understand. The students benefit from our great financial support and small classes.”
UW’s Master of Economics Program involves a process of putting together portfolios — not just a portfolio of investments — but of policies, such as for education and the environment, so that policymakers have better information on what is going to benefit the state and its citizens, he adds.
Shogren, who has been with UW’s Department of Economics since the 1990s, says many UW economics students have gone on to be very successful, landing competitive, high-level jobs over the years.
“Many of them are over in Cheyenne working for the Legislative Service Office or working for some aspect of the state. Other people have gone down to Denver, and other people have done bank jobs,” Shogren says. “Others are running companies, such as an artificial intelligence startup in Denver and a biotech startup in London. Many go on to earn their Ph.D.s in economics or work on regional economic and business analysis in consulting firms.”
One of the key selling points for the program is that students get focused attention and exposure to real-world data.
“There are a lot of diamonds in the rough,” Shogren adds.
