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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics in the Great Lakes Region

43 Ranked Colleges
932 Degrees Awarded
$73,269 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 932 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 43 colleges that offer a degree in economics. That schools that top this list have a program in economics in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree economics students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics in the Great Lakes Region

1

Out of the 43 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management landed the #1 spot on the list. Air Force Institute of Technology - Graduate School of Engineering & Management is located in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Economics at AFIT Graduate School of Engineering & Management

2
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Andrews University
Berrien Springs, Michigan

Out of the 43 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Andrews University landed the #2 spot on the list. Andrews University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Economics at Andrews

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 209 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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 full report on Economics at University of Wisconsin - Madison

4
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University of Detroit Mercy
Detroit, Michigan

Out of the 43 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Detroit Mercy landed the #4 spot on the list. Detroit Mercy is located in Detroit, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 Detroit Mercy Economics Report

5
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 68 diplomas to qualified masters’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, 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.

Full University of Chicago Economics Report

6
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Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana

Valparaiso University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Valparaiso, Indiana, and it awarded 9 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 full report on Economics at Valparaiso University

7

Youngstown State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Youngstown, Ohio, and it awarded 20 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at Youngstown State University

8

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 98 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Read full report on Economics at UIUC

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 93 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 96%.

Read more about Economics at U-M

10

Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Athens, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Economics at OHIO Athens

11
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Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #11, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 48 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Purdue

12

Wright State University - Main Campus landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dayton, Ohio, and it awarded 12 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at Wright State University - Main Campus

13

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 8 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at Western Illinois University

14
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Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 6 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Roosevelt University Economics Report

15
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Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Marquette is a fairly large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 13 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, 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 undergraduate students.

Full Marquette University Economics Report

16
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Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 University Economics Report

17
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Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Economics at EIU

18
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DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, DePaul University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. DePaul University is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 20 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 DePaul University Economics Report

19

Miami University - Oxford came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school situated in Oxford, Ohio. It awarded 18 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, 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 undergraduate students.

Read more about Economics at Miami University - Oxford

20

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Bowling Green, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s economics students in 2020-2021.

Full BGSU Economics Report

21
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Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ypsilanti, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at Eastern Michigan

22
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Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

With a ranking of #22, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Central Michigan is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

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

Read full report on Economics at Central Michigan University

23

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 32 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Ohio State University - Main Campus

24
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Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 11 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State University Economics Report

25
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Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Western Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 8 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at WMU

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