2024 Best Economics Schools in Illinois
21
Colleges in Illinois
2,222
Economics Degrees Awarded
$51,939
Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in
economics, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #19 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 21 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for economics students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,222 degrees in economics during the 2021-2022 academic year.
What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Economics School
The economics program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Economics rankings. For our Best Overall Economics School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Pick Your Economics Degree Level
The 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 the Best Economics Schools in Illinois.
More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you.
Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Read more about College Factual's methodology.
Best Schools for Economics in Illinois
If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
10 Top Illinois Schools in Economics
University of Chicago is a good choice for students pursuing a degree in economics. UChicago is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.
There were approximately 777 economics students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent data year. Economics degree recipients from University of Chicago get an earnings boost of approximately $30,625 above the average earnings of economics graduates.
More information about a degree in economics from University of ChicagoNorthwestern University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in economics. Located in the small city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.
There were roughly 421 economics students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the economics degree program at Northwestern University get $19,549 above the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in economics from Northwestern UniversityIt is hard to beat University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign if you want to pursue a degree in economics. UIUC is a very large public university located in the city of Champaign. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.
There were about 495 economics students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the economics program state that they receive average early career wages of $50,008.
More information about a degree in economics from University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignWheaton College Illinois is a good option for students interested in a degree in economics. Located in the large suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #257 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Wheaton College Illinois is a great college overall.
There were approximately 40 economics students who graduated with this degree at Wheaton College Illinois in the most recent data year. Those economics students who get their degree from Wheaton College Illinois earn $10,330 more than the average economics graduate.
More information about a degree in economics from Wheaton College IllinoisLocated in the city of Chicago, UIC is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #192 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UIC is a great university overall.
There were roughly 127 economics students who graduated with this degree at UIC in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the economics program earn around $43,239 for their early career.
More information about a degree in economics from University of Illinois at ChicagoLake Forest is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Lake Forest. A Best Colleges rank of #289 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Lake Forest is a great college overall.
There were about 36 economics students who graduated with this degree at Lake Forest in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the economics major at Lake Forest College get $6,843 above the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in economics from Lake Forest CollegeDoctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
10th
Most Popular In IL
$21,201
Median Student Debt
SIUC is a fairly large public university located in the city of Carbondale. A Best Colleges rank of #545 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means SIUC is a great university overall.
There were about 24 economics students who graduated with this degree at SIUC in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in economics from Southern Illinois University CarbondaleDePaul is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #203 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means DePaul is a great university overall.
There were about 29 economics students who graduated with this degree at DePaul in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the economics major at DePaul University get $7,999 above the average graduate in this field shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in economics from DePaul UniversityNorth Central is a small private not-for-profit college located in the city of Naperville. This college ranks 25th out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were approximately 15 economics students who graduated with this degree at North Central in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients typically make about $51,272 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in economics from North Central CollegeIllinois State is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Normal. A Best Colleges rank of #231 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Illinois State is a great university overall.
There were approximately 37 economics students who graduated with this degree at Illinois State in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, economics degree recipients usually make around $44,992 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a degree in economics from Illinois State University
