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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Economics in the Great Lakes Region

151 Ranked Colleges
6,916 Degrees Awarded
$33,100 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Economics is the 19th most popular major in the country with 49,055 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $48,736 and had an average of $22,046 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 6,916 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,027 and $23,639 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking looked at 151 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in economics. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their economics program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region economics students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Economics in the Great Lakes Region

1
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DePauw University
Greencastle, Indiana

Out of the 151 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, DePauw University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Greencastle, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 90 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Economics at DePauw University

2
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Denison University
Granville, Ohio

Out of the 151 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Denison University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Granville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 74 degrees to qualified ’s economics students 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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Economics at Denison University

3
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Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wabash College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 21 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read more about Economics at Wabash

4
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Albion College
Albion, Michigan

Out of the 151 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Albion College landed the #4 spot on the list. Albion is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Albion, Michigan. It awarded 34 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Albion Economics Report

5
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s economics degrees to 626 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 UChicago Economics Report

6
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Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. Hillsdale College is a small school located in Hillsdale, Michigan that handed out 34 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Economics at Hillsdale College

7
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Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

Principia College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. Principia is a small school located in Elsah, Illinois that handed out 8 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Economics at Principia College

8
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Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Gambier, Ohio, and it awarded 28 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Read full report on Economics at Kenyon

9
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Lake Forest is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

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 Economics at Lake Forest College

10
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Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Knox is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Galesburg, Illinois. It awarded 20 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Knox College Economics Report

11
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Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #11, Lawrence University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Lawrence U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Appleton, Wisconsin. It awarded 21 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Lawrence U

12
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University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #12. Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 260 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read more about Economics at Notre Dame

13
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Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois

Monmouth College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. Monmouth, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s economics degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Economics at Monmouth

14
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Ripon College
Ripon, Wisconsin

Ripon College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ripon is a small school located in Ripon, Wisconsin that handed out 10 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Ripon

15

University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 864 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on Economics at University of Wisconsin - Madison

16
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Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Beloit is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beloit, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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%.

Full Beloit Economics Report

17

With a ranking of #17, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 728 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at U-M

18
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Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Oberlin, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 34 degrees to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.

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%. 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.

Full Oberlin College Economics Report

19
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Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #19, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 402 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Northwestern Economics Report

20
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Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Kalamazoo College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. K College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 21 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.

Read more about Economics at Kalamazoo College

21
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Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 35 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Wheaton College Illinois

22
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Hanover College
Hanover, Indiana

Hanover College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. Hanover is a small school located in Hanover, Indiana that handed out 10 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Hanover Economics Report

23

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 563 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

24
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Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Illinois College is located in Jacksonville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Economics at Illinois College

25
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Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 379 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Michigan State University Economics Report

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