College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2024 Best Economics Schools in the Plains States Region

50 Colleges in the Plains States Region
1,990 Economics Degrees Awarded
$47,488 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in economics, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #19 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 50 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Economics Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,990 degrees in economics during the 2021-2022 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Economics School

Best Economics Schools in the Plains States Region Your choice of economics school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Economics School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Economics Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Economics
Master's Degrees in Economics
Doctor's Degrees in Economics

The economics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Economics Schools in the Plains States Region. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for Economics in the Plains States Region

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the economics degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top Plains States Region Schools in Economics

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
120 Economics Degrees Awarded
8.3% Growth in Graduates

It's hard to beat Washington University in St Louis if you want to pursue a degree in economics. Located in the large suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were approximately 120 economics students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the economics program at Washington University in St Louis earn $14,103 more than the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in economics from Washington University in St Louis

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
316 Economics Degrees Awarded
$50,320 Median Starting Salary

Every student pursuing a degree in economics needs to take a look at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Located in the city of Minneapolis, UMN Twin Cities is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #51 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UMN Twin Cities is a great university overall.

There were about 316 economics students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent data year. Economics degree recipients from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities receive an earnings boost of around $2,832 over the typical earnings of economics majors.

More information about a degree in economics from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

3
Grinnell crest
Grinnell College
Grinnell, IA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
46 Economics Degrees Awarded
10.9% Growth in Graduates

Grinnell College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in economics. Located in the remote town of Grinnell, Grinnell is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #103 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Grinnell is a great college overall.

There were roughly 46 economics students who graduated with this degree at Grinnell in the most recent year we have data available. Those economics students who get their degree from Grinnell College make $9,173 more than the typical economics student.

More information about a degree in economics from Grinnell College

4
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, MN
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
34 Economics Degrees Awarded
11.8% Growth in Graduates

Carleton College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in economics. Carleton is a small private not-for-profit college located in the town of Northfield. A Best Colleges rank of #93 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Carleton is a great college overall.

There were approximately 34 economics students who graduated with this degree at Carleton in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the economics degree program at Carleton College get $12,544 more than the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in economics from Carleton College

5
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, MN
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
80 Economics Degrees Awarded
$56,177 Median Starting Salary

St. Olaf is a small private not-for-profit college located in the distant town of Northfield. A Best Colleges rank of #190 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means St. Olaf is a great college overall.

There were about 80 economics students who graduated with this degree at St. Olaf in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the economics program at St Olaf College make $8,689 more than the typical college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in economics from St Olaf College

6
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
112 Economics Degrees Awarded
$42,807 Median Starting Salary

Iowa is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Iowa City. A Best Colleges rank of #84 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Iowa is a great university overall.

There were about 112 economics students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the economics program earn around $42,807 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in economics from University of Iowa

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
74 Economics Degrees Awarded
$43,144 Median Starting Salary

KU is a fairly large public university located in the city of Lawrence. A Best Colleges rank of #141 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means KU is a great university overall.

There were about 74 economics students who graduated with this degree at KU in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the economics program earn an average of $43,144 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in economics from University of Kansas

8
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
62 Economics Degrees Awarded
17.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Saint Paul, UST MN is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #143 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UST MN is a great university overall.

There were about 62 economics students who graduated with this degree at UST MN in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the economics program earn around $46,741 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in economics from University of St Thomas Minnesota

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
134 Economics Degrees Awarded
14.2% Growth in Graduates

Mizzou is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Columbia. A Best Colleges rank of #124 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Mizzou is a great university overall.

There were approximately 134 economics students who graduated with this degree at Mizzou in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the economics program report average early career income of $44,765.

More information about a degree in economics from University of Missouri - Columbia

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In ND
7.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Grand Forks, UND is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 12 colleges for overall quality in the state of North Dakota.

There were roughly 27 economics students who graduated with this degree at UND in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in economics from University of North Dakota

Best Economics Colleges by State

Explore the best economics schools for a specific state in the Plains States Region .

StateCollegesDegrees Awarded
Minnesota284847
Missouri283418
Kansas266343
Iowa264321
Nebraska238111
North Dakota21038
South Dakota20443

View All Rankings >

Economics is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.

Economics Concentrations

MajorAnnual Graduates
General Economics1,096
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics611
International Economics165
Applied Economics85
Other Economics19
Development Economics & International Development14

View All Economics Focus Areas >

Majors Similar to Economics

Related MajorAnnual Graduates
Political Science & Government2,147
Sociology1,225
Anthropology561
Geography & Cartography512
General Social Sciences473
International Relations & National Security387
Other Social Sciences111
Sociology & Anthropology58
Urban Studies58
Archeology16

View All Economics Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options