Trending Content - Investment Banking Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
June 30, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
I'd probably advise you do finance and econ unless you want a more quant-focused position.
Why?
Most people will notice the double-major ("DM"), but it's unlikely that most will notice the increase in degree of difficulty from a finance-econ DM to a finance-math/CS DM. In all likelihood, your GPA will noticeably higher as a finance-econ DM simply because math and CS can tend to be far more difficult. For IBD, GPA is extremely important.
If GPA is not a concern, do whichever you may be more interested in.
As jim said, do what you find more interesting.
Doubles tend to get more cred. when it's two unrelated majors (at least @ the 2 BB's I've worked at). That being said, out of what you mentioned, my group would look upon the finance/econ the best. (In quant groups, Math or CS combo would be better).
I am a math and finance DM myself, but it's mostly because I am more interested in math. As some one who's worked at a boutique ibank, and done programs at BBs, I would say that finance and econ is definitely more relevant. You don't need advanced math skills at all to do IBD, whereas some econ background would help if you are writing an overview of a company or industry, or trying to figure out what price range a company should be valued at.
Thanks for all your replies. And I wouldn't be at a disadvantage for not knowing that much math (only for quant and trading roles, right)? but not M&A or PE or anything?
yeah exactly. actually, if possible, finance + accounting would be best if you eventually want to do PE. in fact people who do transaction services at accounting firms can transition into good PE funds.
Thanks Blackdog. So finance, accounting, and econ minor would be the best? Or even something like finance, accounting, and stat?
You're not going to be doing stochastic math in IBD, so stat wouln't really be necessary. The econ minor won't give you very much, you really won't get out of basics with six or so courses. I'd recommend the finance/econ.
and it has different increased my knowledge, but the grading has been whooping my ass. The econ. dept. believes that your lucky if you get a B, but unfortunately there is no asterisk saying these courses were graded harder. So I guess what I'm getting at is also know what you are getting yourself into; ask a few friends that might be in the econ. dept or math dept. to see, which is a better fit for yourself.
gl
Ok so just one last option (without stat- just there 2): 1. Finance and econ (would require a lot of extra non-business courses as I would be getting 2 different degrees) 2. Finance and accounting (would add maybe 1-2 courses)
Probably a higher GPA in option 2, but I am talking about which is better if I had the same GPA in both.
If I only took a few electives in econ, what would the suggested courses/topic I take?
If accounting only adds TWO CLASSES, just triple major dude! That would be exponentially impressive, give you a good skill set and solve your problem.
As for what econ classes to take, that would depend on what your department is good in and what they offer. Assuming you need ten courses, I'd recommend something like:
Intro Micro/Macro Intermediate Micro/Macro Econometrics Institutional Economics (basically transaction costs) Central Banking (=advanced macro) Industrial Economics (=advanced micro) Game Theory Economic History
That is assuming you'll cover all finance topics that econ might touch on in your finance major
.
well by adding 1-2 classes, that would be using electives so if I wanted to add econ, I would get 2 degrees and potentially have to stay 5 years (discussed that this was bad in another thread).
Right. Well, because I know what school you are going to, I'm going to go ahead and say you can get better advice there than you will on this board. As a high schooler, you have several months until September and even longer until you have to decide a major. My advice is, stop worrying and spend more time practicing ruit. The hard part was over when you got in; major selection will only matter at the margin.
Check with your advisor because in my case, I'm not allowed to DM within my college aka I'm a finance major I can't major in accounting as well since there are too many overlapping courses. However with econ being in the college of liberal arts and a different degree it worked for me aka all my free electives and GE were taken up.
Just figured I would try and save you some time and effort.
I am double Econ/Math with 3.9. Unfortunately my school does not offer finance/accounting. If I could go back in time to my freshman year & I could major in any field I wanted to, I would triple in econ/finace/accounting in a heart beat. And as CEO mentioned, watch out for overlap. Some colleges don't allow to double major in finance & accounting.
This is my list of econ classes to take on top of required micro/macro:
Econometrics (one of the hardest econ classes for 'average' student) Economics of Uncertainty and Information (a must in my opinion, you learn how to weight various risks, great for personal and professional goals) Decision Making Economic History (my favorite was econ history before the Industrial Revolution, Malthusian economics blew my mind away and I loved that class) Game Theory
I'm a finance/accounting/economics triple major at a non-target with a 3.8gpa. I did not receive one IBD interview. Your major does not make that much of a difference, the name of your school does.
So just to be clear... any combo of finance, accounting, and economics would be better than finance and comp sci (for IBD and later PE and/or HF)?
Yes. Might be more relevant if you were considering S&T or that HF you through in pertained to a quant fund, but I don't think that is the case. No need for comp sci.
Forget about comp sci. If you really want to challenge yourself, do math, you'll learn MATLAB an you'd have to take 1 - 2 programming classes also.
Recusandae numquam possimus quasi laboriosam expedita. Deserunt quibusdam porro corporis sapiente deserunt. Id deserunt suscipit dolor quia alias quisquam. Ab perferendis quod praesentium vero.
Veniam optio cupiditate voluptatem cupiditate. Inventore adipisci consequatur eos.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...