Bachelor of Economics
at The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
A quantitative economics degree built around microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics and applied policy analysis. Most providers offer specialisations in finance, public policy or international trade.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the The University of Adelaide Bachelor of Economics. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official SATAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
First year at the University of Adelaide builds the core: principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics, mathematics for economics, statistics, and an introduction to data and economic reasoning. You learn to read economic models and interpret data rather than simply memorise theory. Second year deepens intermediate microeconomics and macroeconomics and introduces econometrics, where you apply statistical methods to real datasets using software. You begin choosing a focus such as financial economics, public policy, international trade or applied microeconomics, with courses that blend theory and empirical analysis. Third year is applied and specialised on the North Terrace campus. You take advanced electives in fields like industrial organisation, labour economics, monetary economics or development, and many students complete an applied research project or empirical capstone. Strong students continue into a fourth-year Honours program, which is highly valued by the RBA, Treasury and economic consultancies.
Example first-year subjects
- Principles of Microeconomics
- Principles of Macroeconomics
- Mathematics for Economics and Finance
- Statistics for Economics
- Data and Economic Reasoning
- Introduction to Financial Economics
How you will be assessed
- Final exams of 50 to 70 per cent in core theory courses
- Problem sets and quantitative assignments
- Econometrics projects using statistical software
- Applied research project or empirical report in third year
- Tutorial participation and online quizzes
- Data-analysis and policy-brief assignments
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as economists at the Reserve Bank of Australia, Treasury, Productivity Commission and the major consultancies.
- Common destinations include economic-consulting firms (Deloitte Access Economics, Frontier Economics) and financial-services research desks.
- Many alumni move into policy roles in state and federal departments or into graduate finance and analytics programmes.
Typical first jobs
- Graduate economist or research analyst
- Policy or data analyst in state or Commonwealth government
- Economic-consulting analyst
- Financial or markets analyst
- Business or pricing analyst
- Graduate in a bank or financial-services rotation program
Graduate starting salary
$58,000 - $70,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
Many graduates move directly into analyst and policy roles, but a fourth-year Honours program (with a research thesis) is strongly favoured for economist roles at the Reserve Bank of Australia, Treasury, the Productivity Commission and consultancies such as Deloitte Access Economics. Postgraduate options include the Master of Economics, the Master of Applied Econometrics, masters in finance or data science, and PhD study for research and academic careers.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who enjoy maths, data and logical models
- Those interested in policy, markets and how economies work
- People comfortable with statistics and quantitative software
- Students aiming at Honours, the RBA, Treasury or consulting
- Analytical thinkers who like building evidence-based arguments
It is probably not for you if
- Students who dislike maths and statistics
- Those wanting a purely applied or vocational business degree
- People who prefer qualitative, essay-only assessment
- Students seeking a single regulated profession at graduation
Careers this leads to
Australian career pathways that name this Bachelor of Economics as an entry route. Each page shows uni, TAFE and apprenticeship alternatives.
Related courses at Adelaide
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Adelaide handbook and on SATAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/adelaide/bachelor-of-economics.