Best Universities for Economics in the World

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Economics. A graph of 286M citations received by 11.8M academic papers made by 6,167 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Economics

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,900

2. Stanford University

United States | California

For Economics

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,998

3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Economics

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 66%

4. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Economics

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $25,951
Enrollment: 45,699

5. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Economics

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,979

6. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Economics

#6 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,017

7. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Economics

#7 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

8. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Economics

#8 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $20,869

9. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

10. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Economics

#9 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $14,390
Enrollment: 55,620

11. New York University

United States | New York State

For Economics

#10 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $30,730

12. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Economics

#11 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,044

13. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Economics

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,455

14. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Economics

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $22,441
Enrollment: 46,678

15. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Economics

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $21,519

16. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Economics

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,844

17. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

18. London School of Economics and Political Science

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 9,218
Founded: 1895

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19. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#4 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

20. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Economics

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 60%

21. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Economics

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,811

22. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Economics

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 58%

23. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Economics

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 81%

24. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Economics

#20 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 75%

25. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Economics

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 66%

26. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Economics

#22 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 71,201
Founded: 1908

27. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Economics

#23 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,422

28. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Economics

#24 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 61%

29. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#5 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

30. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Economics

#1 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

31. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Economics

#25 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $41,496

32. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Economics

#26 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,341

33. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Economics

#27 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

34. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Economics

#2 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

35. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Economics

#6 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1632

36. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Economics

#28 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1445
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 65%

37. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Economics

#1 in Asia

#1 in China

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

38. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Economics

#29 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 97%

39. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Economics

#30 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $24,176
Enrollment: 42,376

40. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Economics

#3 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1946

41. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Economics

#31 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $11,992
Enrollment: 79,593

42. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Economics

#32 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 92%

43. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Economics

#4 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

44. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Economics

#5 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 63,864
Founded: 1949

45. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Economics

#2 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

46. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Economics

#33 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $32,964

47. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Economics

#34 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 71%

48. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Economics

#7 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

49. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Economics

#35 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

50. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Economics

#36 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,258
Enrollment: 39,707

51. Monash University

Australia | Clayton

For Economics

#6 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 78,000
Founded: 1958

52. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#8 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

53. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Economics

#37 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,551

54. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Economics

#9 in Europe

#2 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

55. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#10 in Europe

#7 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

56. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#11 in Europe

#8 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1829

57. University of California - San Francisco

United States | California

For Economics

#38 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,126
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

58. McMaster University

Canada | Ontario

For Economics

#39 in North America

#3 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

59. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Economics

#40 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 77%

60. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Economics

#12 in Europe

#9 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

61. University of Virginia

United States | Virginia

For Economics

#41 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 44%

62. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Economics

#42 in North America

#4 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

63. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Economics

#43 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

64. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#13 in Europe

#10 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1948

65. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Economics

#44 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 98%

66. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Economics

#45 in North America

#5 in Canada

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

67. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#14 in Europe

#11 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

68. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#15 in Europe

#12 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1900

69. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Economics

#16 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

70. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#17 in Europe

#13 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1905

71. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Economics

#46 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $40,900

72. Washington University in St Louis

United States | Missouri

For Economics

#47 in North America

#42 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,440

73. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Economics

#18 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

74. Emory University

United States | Georgia

For Economics

#48 in North America

#43 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,986

75. Georgetown University

United States | District of Columbia

For Economics

#49 in North America

#44 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $37,967

76. George Washington University

United States | District of Columbia

For Economics

#50 in North America

#45 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $45,466

77. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#19 in Europe

#14 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1904

78. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Economics

#20 in Europe

#3 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

79. University of Illinois at Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Economics

#51 in North America

#46 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 80%

80. Vanderbilt University

United States | Tennessee

For Economics

#52 in North America

#47 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,689

81. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Economics

#3 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

82. Chinese University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Economics

#4 in Asia

#3 in China

Founded: 1963

83. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Economics

#53 in North America

#48 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,533
Enrollment: 36,582

84. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#21 in Europe

#15 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

85. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#22 in Europe

#16 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

86. University of Iowa

United States | Iowa State

For Economics

#54 in North America

#49 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 88%

87. University of Tokyo

For Economics

#5 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,479
Founded: 1877

88. Tilburg University

Netherlands | Tilburg

For Economics

#23 in Europe

#4 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Enrollment: 17,378
Founded: 1927

89. Western University

Canada | Ontario

For Economics

#55 in North America

#6 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 21,836
Founded: 1878

90. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Economics

#56 in North America

#50 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 89%

91. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#24 in Europe

#17 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,319
Male:Female: 44:56
Founded: 1961

92. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Economics

#6 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

93. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Economics

#7 in Asia

#4 in China

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

94. University of Calgary

Canada | Alberta

For Economics

#57 in North America

#7 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

95. University of Ottawa

Canada | Ontario

For Economics

#58 in North America

#8 in Canada

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

96. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#25 in Europe

#18 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

97. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Economics

#26 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,020
Founded: 1928

98. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Economics

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 97,964
Founded: 1827

99. University of Auckland

New Zealand | Auckland

For Economics

#1 in New Zealand

Founded: 1883

100. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Economics

#27 in Europe

#5 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

Economics subfields in the World

Actuarial Science1241

Agricultural Economics1078

Development Studies5472

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics3609

Environmental Economics1722

International Economics1569

International Relations and Diplomacy1005

International Trade1814

Investment Banking and Stock trading1908

Political Economy1361