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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major

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618 Degrees Awarded
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Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 618 people earned their degree in applied economics, making the major the 534th most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major” ranking looked at 51 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in applied economics. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in applied economics.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for applied economics students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Applied Economics

1
Ursinus crest
Ursinus College
Collegeville, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ursinus College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Collegeville, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s applied economics degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Applied Economics at Ursinus College

2
Binghamton University crest
Binghamton University
Vestal, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Binghamton University. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major. Binghamton University is a fairly large public school situated in Vestal, New York. It awarded 112 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Binghamton University Applied Economics Report

3
SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale crest
Farmingdale State College
Farmingdale, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Farmingdale State College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major. SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale is a medium-sized school located in Farmingdale, New York that handed out 24 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Applied Economics at SUNY College of Technology at Farmingdale

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Auburn University at Montgomery. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major. Auburn University at Montgomery is a medium-sized school located in Montgomery, Alabama that handed out 9 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Applied Economics at AUM

5
Bryant crest
Bryant University
Smithfield, Rhode Island

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bryant University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Smithfield, Rhode Island is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s applied economics degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Applied Economics at Bryant

6
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University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa

University of Northern Iowa came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this medium-sized public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified ’s applied economics students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Applied Economics at University of Northern Iowa

7

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 73 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Applied Economics Report

8

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 65 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Applied Economics at U-M

9
Buffalo State crest
Buffalo State
Buffalo, New York

Buffalo State did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking, coming in at #9. Buffalo State is a medium-sized school located in Buffalo, New York that handed out 8 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Applied Economics at Buffalo State

10
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Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #10, Marquette University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Marquette University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 13 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Applied Economics at Marquette University

11
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking, coming in at #11. Georgetown is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s applied economics degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Georgetown Applied Economics Report

12
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University ranked #12 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Carnegie Mellon is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 18 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Applied Economics at Carnegie Mellon

13
Mills crest
Mills College
Oakland, California

Mills College ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Located in Oakland, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified ’s applied economics students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Applied Economics at Mills

14
St. Kate's crest
St Catherine University
Saint Paul, Minnesota

St Catherine University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking. St. Kate’s is a small school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota that handed out 4 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Applied Economics at St Catherine University

15

With a ranking of #15, Southern Methodist University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Southern Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 10 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Applied Economics at Southern Methodist University

16

With a ranking of #16, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s applied economics degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Applied Economics at UCLA

17
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Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York

Ithaca College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking. Ithaca College is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 3 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Applied Economics at Ithaca

18
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s applied economics degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Applied Economics at Florida State University

19

With a ranking of #19, University of Massachusetts - Boston did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. UMass Boston is a fairly large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 7 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Applied Economics at University of Massachusetts - Boston

20
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #20, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 ’s applied economics degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Virginia Tech Applied Economics Report

21
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

University of Houston did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking, coming in at #21. UH is a large school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 20 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Applied Economics at UH

22

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Bowling Green, Ohio. It awarded 6 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Applied Economics Report

23
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major ranking. St. Cloud State University is a fairly large public school situated in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. It awarded 3 ’s applied economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Applied Economics at St. Cloud State University

24

With a ranking of #24, University of Central Oklahoma did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. UCO is a public institution located in Edmond, Oklahoma. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Applied Economics at UCO

25
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

With a ranking of #25, Eastern Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Applied Economics Major list. Eastern Michigan University is a public institution located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Applied Economics at Eastern Michigan

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