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2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s

543 Ranked Colleges
26,628 Degrees Awarded
$15,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor's

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.

General Economics is the 22nd most popular major in the country with 31,150 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 26,628 general economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 543 colleges that offer a degree in general economics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general economics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general economics program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The general 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 “Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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.

Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Economics

Top 10% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brigham Young University - Provo. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s. BYU is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Provo, Utah. It awarded 216 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, BYU also did well on our “Best General Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $13,322 for bachelor’s degree general economics students per year to attend Brigham Young University - Provo.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low 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%.

Full Brigham Young University - Provo General Economics Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Rexburg, Idaho is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general economics degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend BYU - I is $7,167 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Full Brigham Young University - Idaho General Economics Report

#3

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 bachelors’s general economics degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,748 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 full report on General Economics at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

#4

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bemidji State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s. This small school is located in Bemidji, Minnesota, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $15,868 for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

Read full report on General Economics at Bemidji State University

Top 25% in overall quality

Out of the 543 schools in the Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a fairly large school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 45 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - La Crosse is $14,580 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Economics at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

#6

Park University

Parkville, Missouri

Park University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Parkville, Missouri, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Park University is $15,579 for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

Read full report on General Economics at Park University

#7

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. South Dakota State University is a public institution located in Brookings, South Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend South Dakota State University is $19,252 for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Economics at South Dakota State University

With a ranking of #8, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $16,584 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

The 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 full report on General Economics at North Dakota State University - Main Campus

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #9. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s general economics degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,463 for bachelor’s degree general economics students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.

Read full report on General Economics at UW Oshkosh

#10

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,249 for bachelor’s degree general economics students per year to attend UW - Whitewater.

Read more about General Economics at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

#11

Arizona State University - Skysong

Scottsdale, Arizona

Arizona State University - Skysong came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Scottsdale, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general economics degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,971 for bachelor’s degree general economics students per year to attend ASU - Skysong.

Read more about General Economics at Arizona State University - Skysong

#12

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general economics degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SRU is $19,926 for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

Full Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania General Economics Report

#13

Truman State University

Kirksville, Missouri

With a ranking of #13, Truman State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Truman State is located in Kirksville, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s general economics degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Truman State is $12,462 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Truman State University General Economics Report

#14

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #14, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This fairly large school is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,020 for bachelor’s degree general economics students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

Read more about General Economics at UW - Eau Claire

University of Minnesota - Morris landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Morris, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general economics degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,412 for bachelor’s degree general economics students per year to attend University of Minnesota - Morris.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UMN Morris General Economics Report

#16

Southern New Hampshire University

Manchester, New Hampshire

Southern New Hampshire University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. SNHU is a large school located in Manchester, New Hampshire that handed out 81 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Southern New Hampshire University is $41,095 for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

Read full report on General Economics at SNHU

#17

Hunter College

New York, New York

With a ranking of #17, Hunter College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Hunter is a large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 143 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Hunter College is $2,490 for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%.

Full Hunter College General Economics Report

#18

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Northern Iowa came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, this medium-sized public school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general economics students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,620 for bachelor’s degree general economics students per year to attend University of Northern Iowa.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UNI General Economics Report

#19

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, South Dakota

University of South Dakota ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of South Dakota is a public institution located in Vermillion, South Dakota. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of South Dakota is $18,555 for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Economics at USD

#20

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a public institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $14,395 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

Read more about General Economics at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $14,423 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

Read full report on General Economics at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

With a ranking of #22, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a fairly large school located in Duluth, Minnesota that handed out 23 bachelors’s general economics degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $17,067 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

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

Full UMN Duluth General Economics Report

#23

Florida State University

Tallahassee, Florida
Top 20% in overall quality

Florida State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 279 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general economics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on this list, Florida State is in the top on our “Best General Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $9,789 for bachelor’s degree general economics students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Economics at Florida State

Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. Minnesota State University - Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s general economics degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $16,221 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students per year to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Economics at Minnesota State Mankato

#25

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. Western Illinois University is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $16,210 for Bachelor’s Degree General Economics students.

Read more about General Economics at WIU

Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

#26

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri
#27

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#28

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota
#30

Winona State University

Winona, Minnesota
#33

Utah State University

Logan, Utah
#34

University of Houston

Houston, Texas
#35

Westfield State University

Westfield, Massachusetts
#35

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#37

Salisbury University

Salisbury, Maryland
#38

Queens College

Queens, New York
#39

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#40

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#42

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois
#43

Fitchburg State University

Fitchburg, Massachusetts
#44

SUNY Geneseo

Geneseo, New York
#46

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota
#47

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#48

Central College

Pella, Iowa
#50

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, Minnesota

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value General Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania Shippensburg, PA
52 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI
53 University of Memphis Memphis, TN
54 SUNY Cortland Cortland, NY
55 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
56 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO
57 University of Wisconsin - Parkside Kenosha, WI
58 SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY
59 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
60 California State University - Northridge Northridge, CA
61 Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, IL
62 Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Edinboro, PA
63 Worcester State University Worcester, MA
64 Appalachian State University Boone, NC
65 University of North Texas Denton, TX
Rank College Location
66 California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA
67 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
68 Weber State University Ogden, UT
69 Baruch College New York, NY
70 Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA
71 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI
72 Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH
72 SUNY Fredonia Fredonia, NY
74 University of Southern Indiana Evansville, IN
75 University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO
76 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL
77 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, NY
78 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL
79 The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX
80 Framingham State University Framingham, MA
81 Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA
82 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

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