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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics in Illinois

35 Ranked Colleges
1,771 Degrees Awarded
$50,560 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor's

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 “Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s” 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 Illinois, there were 2,155 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $51,939 and $23,350 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,771 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,117 and $25,584 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 35 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in economics. To top this list, a school must have a successful economics program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

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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 “Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s”.

1
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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 #1 for the Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 491 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Economics at University of Chicago

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 443 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Full UIUC Economics Report

3
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Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 351 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, 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 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Economics at Northwestern

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Chicago. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 117 bachelors’s economics degrees 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%.

Read full report on Economics at UIC

5
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Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wheaton College Illinois. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, 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 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Wheaton College Illinois

6

Illinois State University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.

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 Illinois State

7
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #7, Lake Forest College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Lake Forest, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Economics at Lake Forest

8
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DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 25 students 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 Economics Report

9
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Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Knox College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Galesburg, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees 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 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Economics at Knox College

10

With a ranking of #10, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 19 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Economics Report

10

Northern Illinois University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Northern Illinois University Economics Report

10
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Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Olivet Nazarene University Economics Report

13
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Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.

Read full report on Economics at Augustana

13

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Economics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

15
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North Central College
Naperville, Illinois

North Central College ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. North Central is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Naperville, Illinois. It awarded 16 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

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 full report on Economics at North Central

16
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McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois

With a ranking of #16, McKendree University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. McKendree is a small school located in Lebanon, Illinois that handed out 14 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at McKendree University

17
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Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois

With a ranking of #17, Monmouth College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Monmouth is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Monmouth, Illinois. It awarded 13 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Full Monmouth College Economics Report

18

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. SIUE is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Economics at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

19
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Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at Roosevelt University

19
Illinois College crest
Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois

With a ranking of #19, Illinois College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Illinois College is located in Jacksonville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Full Illinois College Economics Report

21
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Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois

With a ranking of #21, Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Illinois Wesleyan University is located in Bloomington, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Economics at Illinois Wesleyan

22
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Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

With a ranking of #22, Principia College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Elsah, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Economics at Principia

22
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Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #22, Dominican University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in River Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 Dominican U

24
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. Eastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Charleston, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at EIU

24

Western Illinois University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2020-2021.

Full WIU Economics Report

24
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Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Governors State University ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in Illinois for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in University Park, Illinois, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at GSU

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