Bachelor of Economics
at The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory.
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 Australian National University 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 | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
The ANU Bachelor of Economics is the GO8-leading undergraduate economics program, run by the Research School of Economics (CBE). The Plan structure requires a 48-unit Economics major plus a 24-unit second major (commonly Econometrics, Finance, Mathematics, International Relations, Public Policy or Statistics) and electives. Year one builds the core: Introductory Microeconomics, Introductory Macroeconomics, Mathematical Foundations of Economic Analysis, Statistical Techniques (or Introductory Statistics for Business and Finance) and Business Reporting and Analysis. Year two carries Intermediate Microeconomics, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Introductory Econometrics and applied modules in labour, public, environmental or international economics. Year three runs Advanced Microeconomics, Advanced Macroeconomics, Advanced Econometrics and policy electives drawn from the Crawford School of Public Policy and the Arndt-Corden Department of Economics. ANU economics is uniquely close to its policy clients - many lecturers consult to Treasury, the RBA, the Productivity Commission and the IMF. Tutorials run small (15 to 25) and use STATA, R or Python for econometric work.
Example first-year subjects
- Introductory Microeconomics
- Introductory Macroeconomics
- Mathematical Foundations of Economic Analysis
- Statistical Techniques
- Business Reporting and Analysis
- Introduction to Logic
How you will be assessed
- Final exams of 50 to 70 percent in economic theory core units
- Econometric problem sets using STATA, R or Python
- Mathematical assignments with detailed proofs in micro and macro theory
- Short empirical papers (1500 to 3000 words) in applied units
- Tutorial participation in small-class problem-solving sessions
- Honours-year thesis of 18,000 to 20,000 words under research-school supervision
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 at the Reserve Bank of Australia
- Graduate analyst in Treasury, Department of Finance and PM&C
- Graduate at the Productivity Commission and Parliamentary Budget Office
- Economic consultant at Deloitte Access Economics, Nous Group, Frontier Economics
- Graduate at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) economic policy stream
- Graduate at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (Belconnen)
Graduate starting salary
$70,000 - $85,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Honours in Economics (fourth year) is the flagship pathway - it is widely regarded as the strongest research training in Australian economics, and is the standard entry route into the RBA Research, Treasury Graduate and PhD programs (ANU, US Ivies and Oxbridge). The Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) - Economics (PhB Economics) is the high-entry research-intensive variant. Combined bachelors include Economics/Law, Economics/Finance, Economics/International Relations and the new Economics with Advanced Computing. Postgraduate options include the Master of Economics (research and coursework), Master of Applied Econometrics, Master of Public Policy (Crawford) and the Master of Financial Economics. Many graduates take an APS economic graduate role for two to three years before commencing a PhD.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who scored highly in Year 12 Methods or Specialist Maths
- Those drawn to formal models, derivations and econometric methods
- People targeting RBA Research, Treasury, PM&C or Productivity Commission graduate streams
- Students seriously considering Honours and a PhD in economics
- Those who enjoy small-class theoretical work with policy-applied lecturers
It is probably not for you if
- Students who avoid mathematics, statistics and formal proofs
- Those wanting a vocational business degree (Commerce or Business is the better fit)
- Anyone uncomfortable with the writing demands of policy-applied units
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 ANU
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The Australian National University handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/anu/bachelor-of-economics.