Best Universities for Economics in Europe

Updated: July 18, 2023

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Economics. A graph of 555M citations received by 24.7M academic papers made by 1,322 universities in Europe 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. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#1 in the United Kingdom

#9 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1096

2. London School of Economics and Political Science

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#2 in the United Kingdom

#15 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Founded: 1895

3. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#3 in the United Kingdom

#19 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

4. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#4 in the United Kingdom

#29 in the World

Founded: 1824

5. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#5 in the United Kingdom

#33 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

6. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Economics

#1 in the Netherlands

#45 in the World

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

7. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#6 in the United Kingdom

#50 in the World

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

8. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Economics

#2 in the Netherlands

#54 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

9. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#7 in the United Kingdom

#55 in the World

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

10. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#8 in the United Kingdom

#56 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

11. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Economics

#9 in the United Kingdom

#58 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

12. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#10 in the United Kingdom

#59 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1829

13. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Economics

#63 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

14. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#11 in the United Kingdom

#65 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1905

15. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#12 in the United Kingdom

#67 in the World

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

16. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Economics

#68 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

17. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#13 in the United Kingdom

#69 in the World

Founded: 1904

18. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#14 in the United Kingdom

#72 in the World

Founded: 1900

19. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#15 in the United Kingdom

#77 in the World

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

20. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#16 in the United Kingdom

#82 in the World

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

21. Tilburg University

Netherlands | Tilburg

For Economics

#3 in the Netherlands

#87 in the World

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

22. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Economics

#4 in the Netherlands

#88 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1636

23. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#17 in the United Kingdom

#89 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

24. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Economics

#18 in the United Kingdom

#94 in the World

Founded: 1451

25. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Economics

#96 in the World

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

26. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Economics

#1 in Switzerland

#99 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 23,420

27. University of Oslo

For Economics

#1 in Norway

#100 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

28. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Economics

#5 in the Netherlands

#105 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

29. Stockholm University

Sweden | Stockholm

For Economics

#1 in Sweden

#108 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Enrollment: 37,484
Founded: 1878

30. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#19 in the United Kingdom

#111 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

31. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#20 in the United Kingdom

#114 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Founded: 1963

32. Lund University

For Economics

#2 in Sweden

#117 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

33. Lancaster University

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#21 in the United Kingdom

#119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Founded: 1964

34. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Economics

#3 in Sweden

#126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 35,556
Founded: 1477

35. Maastricht University

Netherlands | Maastricht

For Economics

#6 in the Netherlands

#127 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1976

36. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Economics

#2 in Switzerland

#131 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

37. Cardiff University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Economics

#22 in the United Kingdom

#135 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1997

38. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Economics

#7 in the Netherlands

#138 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

39. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Economics

#140 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

40. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#23 in the United Kingdom

#144 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

41. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Economics

#1 in Italy

#146 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
Founded: 1088

42. Durham University

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#24 in the United Kingdom

#149 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

43. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Economics

#150 in the World

Enrollment: 41,669
Founded: 1817

44. Free University Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Economics

#8 in the Netherlands

#151 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1880

45. University of East Anglia

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#25 in the United Kingdom

#155 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

46. University of Reading

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#26 in the United Kingdom

#156 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Founded: 1892

47. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Economics

#4 in Sweden

#158 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

48. University of Exeter

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#27 in the United Kingdom

#160 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

49. Wageningen University

Netherlands | Wageningen

For Economics

#9 in the Netherlands

#161 in the World

Enrollment: 12,819
Founded: 1918

50. Leiden University

Netherlands | Leiden

For Economics

#10 in the Netherlands

#162 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,713
Founded: 1575

51. University of Essex

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#28 in the United Kingdom

#165 in the World

Founded: 1964

52. Sapienza University of Rome

For Economics

#2 in Italy

#169 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

53. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#29 in the United Kingdom

#170 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1989

54. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Economics

#171 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

55. University of Leicester

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#30 in the United Kingdom

#172 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

56. University of Strathclyde

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Economics

#31 in the United Kingdom

#175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Founded: 1964

57. Bocconi University

Italy | Lombardy

For Economics

#3 in Italy

#177 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1902

58. Catholic University of Louvain

Belgium | Louvain-la-Neuve

For Economics

#178 in the World

Enrollment: 35,000
Founded: 1425

59. University College Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Economics

#179 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 33,321
Founded: 1854

60. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Economics

#185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 38,043
Founded: 1818

61. Karolinska Institute

Sweden | Stockholm

For Economics

#5 in Sweden

#187 in the World

Enrollment: 8,070
Founded: 1861

62. London Business School

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#32 in the United Kingdom

#188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Founded: 1964

63. University of Bath

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#33 in the United Kingdom

#190 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 18,857
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1966

64. Loughborough University

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#34 in the United Kingdom

#191 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

65. University of Padua

For Economics

#4 in Italy

#193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 62,876
Founded: 1222

66. Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Norway | Trondheim

For Economics

#2 in Norway

#195 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 42,031
Founded: 1996

67. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Economics

#11 in the Netherlands

#201 in the World

Founded: 1923

68. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Economics

#206 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

69. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Economics

#1 in Spain

#209 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 30,926

70. University of Aberdeen

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Economics

#35 in the United Kingdom

#211 in the World

Founded: 1495

71. Copenhagen Business School

Denmark | Frederiksberg

For Economics

#215 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1917

72. City, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#36 in the United Kingdom

#224 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1966

73. University of Twente

Netherlands | Enschede

For Economics

#12 in the Netherlands

#225 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1961

74. Pompeu Fabra University

Spain | Barcelona

For Economics

#2 in Spain

#227 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 15,801

75. University of Geneva

Switzerland | Geneva

For Economics

#3 in Switzerland

#228 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 17,744

76. National Research University Higher School of Economics

Russia | Moscow

For Economics

#1 in Russia

#229 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Founded: 1992

77. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Economics

#232 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

78. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Germany | Hesse

For Economics

#233 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 46,429
Founded: 1914

79. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Economics

#234 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1592

80. University of Surrey

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#37 in the United Kingdom

#238 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

81. Polytechnic University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Economics

#5 in Italy

#240 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 48,645
Male:Female: 65:35
Founded: 1863

82. University of Antwerp

Belgium | Antwerp

For Economics

#245 in the World

Founded: 2003

83. Free University of Brussels

Belgium | Brussels

For Economics

#246 in the World

Enrollment: 31,606
Founded: 1834

84. Brunel University London

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#38 in the United Kingdom

#247 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

85. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Economics

#4 in Switzerland

#248 in the World

Enrollment: 12,576

86. Humboldt University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Economics

#249 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 36,378
Founded: 1809

87. University of Kent

United Kingdom | England

For Economics

#39 in the United Kingdom

#253 in the World

Founded: 1965

88. University of St. Gallen

Switzerland | St. Gallen

For Economics

#5 in Switzerland

#254 in the World

Enrollment: 7,666

89. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Economics

#6 in Italy

#255 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 65,234
Founded: 1924

90. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Economics

#257 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 37,608
Founded: 1948

91. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Economics

#3 in Spain

#258 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 64,236
Male:Female: 86:14

92. Stockholm School of Economics

Sweden | Stockholm

For Economics

#6 in Sweden

#259 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Enrollment: 1,830
Founded: 1909

93. KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Sweden | Stockholm

For Economics

#7 in Sweden

#260 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 14,278
Founded: 1827

94. Linkoping University

Sweden | Linkoping

For Economics

#8 in Sweden

#261 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Enrollment: 22,441
Founded: 1975

95. Queen's University Belfast

United Kingdom | Northern Ireland

For Economics

#40 in the United Kingdom

#263 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

96. Umea University

For Economics

#9 in Sweden

#264 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 34,237
Founded: 1965

97. University of Mannheim

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Economics

#270 in the World

Enrollment: 11,800
Founded: 1907

98. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Economics

#275 in the World

Enrollment: 25,421
Founded: 1817

99. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Economics

#277 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 50,918
Founded: 1472

100. University of Bergen

Norway | Bergen

For Economics

#3 in Norway

#278 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1946

Economics subfields in Europe

Actuarial Science354

Agricultural Economics259

Development Studies1131

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics789

Environmental Economics471

International Economics617

International Relations and Diplomacy322

International Trade657

Investment Banking and Stock trading480

Political Economy391