Best Universities for Economics in the World

Updated: July 18, 2023

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 1.8B citations received by 83.2M academic papers made by 5,789 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: 4%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $13,910

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Economics

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $16,326
Enrollment: 50,278

3. Stanford University

United States | California

For Economics

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $14,402

4. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Economics

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $21,406
Enrollment: 45,036

5. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Economics

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $14,578

6. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Economics

#6 in North America

#1 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Enrollment: 95,055
Founded: 1827

7. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Economics

#7 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $33,727

8. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Economics

#8 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $12,411

9. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1096

10. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Economics

#9 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $15,895
Enrollment: 52,434

11. New York University

United States | New York State

For Economics

#10 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1510
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $50,991

12. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Economics

#11 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $20,605

13. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Economics

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 56%
Average Aid: $17,592
Enrollment: 46,116

14. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Economics

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Net Price: $30,958
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $32,562

15. London School of Economics and Political Science

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Founded: 1895

16. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Economics

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1410
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 64%

17. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Economics

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $24,262

18. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Economics

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 83%

19. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

20. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Economics

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $8,719
Enrollment: 40,363

21. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Economics

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 60%

22. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Economics

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

23. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Economics

#20 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Enrollment: 59,659
Founded: 1908

24. Princeton University

United States | New Jersey

For Economics

#21 in North America

#19 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $20,908

25. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Economics

#22 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 85%

26. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Economics

#23 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1513
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $27,297

27. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Economics

#24 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $25,852

28. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Economics

#25 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 71%

29. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#4 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

30. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Economics

#26 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Net Price: $20,680
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $45,373

31. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Economics

#27 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 72%

32. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Economics

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

33. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#5 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

34. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Economics

#28 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,021

35. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Economics

#2 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

36. University of Maryland - College Park

United States | Maryland

For Economics

#29 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 68%

37. Australian National University

Australia | Canberra

For Economics

#3 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1946

38. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Economics

#1 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

39. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Economics

#30 in North America

#28 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $18,083
Enrollment: 41,885

40. Monash University

Australia | Clayton

For Economics

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 78,000
Founded: 1958

41. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Economics

#5 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

42. Arizona State University - Tempe

United States | Arizona

For Economics

#31 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $12,201
Enrollment: 77,881

43. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Economics

#32 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

44. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Economics

#6 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

45. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Economics

#6 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 31,123
Founded: 1632

46. Carnegie Mellon University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Economics

#33 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $37,450

47. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Economics

#34 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1360
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 78%

48. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Economics

#35 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1355
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

49. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Economics

#36 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Receiving Aid: 65%
Average Aid: $17,628
Enrollment: 40,050

50. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#7 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

51. University of Virginia

United States | Virginia

For Economics

#37 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 34
Receiving Aid: 63%

52. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Economics

#38 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $29,999

53. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Economics

#39 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Enrollment: 40,036
Founded: 1821

54. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Economics

#8 in Europe

#2 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

55. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#9 in Europe

#7 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

56. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#10 in Europe

#8 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

57. University of California - San Francisco

United States | California

For Economics

#40 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 3,165
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

58. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Economics

#11 in Europe

#9 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

59. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#12 in Europe

#10 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1829

60. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Economics

#41 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 78%

61. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Economics

#42 in North America

#4 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Founded: 1908

62. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Economics

#43 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1245
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 95%

63. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Economics

#13 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

64. University of Rochester

United States | New York State

For Economics

#44 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Average SAT: 1445
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $40,125

65. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#14 in Europe

#11 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1905

66. McMaster University

Canada | Ontario

For Economics

#45 in North America

#5 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 30,117
Founded: 1887

67. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#15 in Europe

#12 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

68. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Economics

#16 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

69. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#17 in Europe

#13 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1904

70. Chinese University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Economics

#2 in Asia

#1 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1963

71. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Economics

#3 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

72. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#18 in Europe

#14 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1900

73. Indiana University - Bloomington

United States | Indiana

For Economics

#46 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 79%

74. George Washington University

United States | District of Columbia

For Economics

#47 in North America

#42 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1400
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $31,240

75. Emory University

United States | Georgia

For Economics

#48 in North America

#43 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1480
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $28,367

76. Vanderbilt University

United States | Tennessee

For Economics

#49 in North America

#44 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,553

77. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#19 in Europe

#15 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

78. Iowa State University

United States | Iowa State

For Economics

#50 in North America

#45 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1207
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 93%

79. University of Iowa

United States | Iowa State

For Economics

#51 in North America

#46 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 87%

80. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Economics

#52 in North America

#47 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $16,868
Enrollment: 36,505

81. Washington University in St Louis

United States | Missouri

For Economics

#53 in North America

#48 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $28,298

82. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#20 in Europe

#16 in the United Kingdom

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

83. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Economics

#4 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

84. University of Tokyo

For Economics

#5 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 28,133
Founded: 1877

85. Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Israel | Jerusalem

For Economics

#6 in Asia

#2 in Israel

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 23,500
Founded: 1918

86. Western University

Canada | Ontario

For Economics

#54 in North America

#6 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Enrollment: 27,300
Founded: 1878

87. Tilburg University

Netherlands | Tilburg

For Economics

#21 in Europe

#3 in the Netherlands

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

88. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Economics

#22 in Europe

#4 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1636

89. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#23 in Europe

#17 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

90. Georgia Institute of Technology

United States | Georgia

For Economics

#55 in North America

#49 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Average SAT: 1405
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 72%

91. University of Auckland

New Zealand | Auckland

For Economics

#1 in New Zealand

Founded: 1883

92. University of Calgary

Canada | Alberta

For Economics

#56 in North America

#7 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

93. University of Illinois at Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Economics

#57 in North America

#50 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 81%

94. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Economics

#24 in Europe

#18 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1451

95. Hong Kong Polytechnic University

China | Hong Kong

For Economics

#7 in Asia

#3 in China

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1937

96. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Economics

#25 in Europe

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

97. Boston College

United States | Massachusetts

For Economics

#58 in North America

#51 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $30,159

98. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Economics

#59 in North America

#52 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 89%

99. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Economics

#26 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 23,420

100. University of Oslo

For Economics

#27 in Europe

#1 in Norway

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

Economics subfields in the World

Actuarial Science1038

Agricultural Economics1023

Development Studies4927

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics3103

Environmental Economics1297

International Economics1288

International Relations and Diplomacy1001

International Trade1482

Investment Banking and Stock trading1543

Political Economy1133