The following is a list of organizations where a person with a bachelor's degree in economics can work as a research assistant and put their economics training to use.  This is not a comprehensive list – it is meant to give you an idea of the kinds of jobs you should consider if you are trying to decide whether to go for the Ph.D. 

Economic consulting firms:

• Bates White
• Cornerstone
• Econ One
• NERA

Government:

• Congressional Budget Office
• Council of Economic Advisers
• Federal Reserve Board of Governors
• Federal Reserve regional branches

Think Tanks:

• American Enterprise Institute
• Brookings Institution
• Cato Institute
• Mathematica Policy Research
• Public Policy Institute of California
• RAND Corporation
• Resources for the Future
• Urban Institute

International Organizations:

• International Monetary Fund
• World Bank