100 Best universities for Economics in the United Kingdom

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the United Kingdom ranked based on their research performance in Economics. A graph of 21.7M citations received by 863K academic papers made by 142 universities in the United Kingdom 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

England | Oxford

For Economics

#1 in Europe

#9 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University College London

England | London

For Economics

#2 in Europe

#17 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

3. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Economics

#3 in Europe

#18 in the World

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

4. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Economics

#4 in Europe

#20 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

5. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Economics

#5 in Europe

#33 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. Imperial College London

England | London

For Economics

#8 in Europe

#53 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

7. King's College London

England | London

For Economics

#10 in Europe

#55 in the World

Founded: 1829

8. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Economics

#11 in Europe

#57 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

9. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Economics

#12 in Europe

#60 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

10. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Economics

#13 in Europe

#61 in the World

Founded: 1948

11. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Economics

#14 in Europe

#65 in the World

Founded: 1905

12. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Economics

#16 in Europe

#68 in the World

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

13. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Economics

#17 in Europe

#71 in the World

Founded: 1904

14. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Economics

#18 in Europe

#72 in the World

Founded: 1900

15. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Economics

#19 in Europe

#80 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

16. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Economics

#22 in Europe

#87 in the World

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

17. University of York

For Economics

#25 in Europe

#96 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

18. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Economics

#28 in Europe

#103 in the World

Founded: 1451

19. University of London

England | London

For Economics

#30 in Europe

#105 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

20. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Economics

#35 in Europe

#124 in the World

Founded: 1963

21. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Economics

#37 in Europe

#131 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

22. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Economics

#38 in Europe

#135 in the World

Founded: 1997

23. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Economics

#39 in Europe

#137 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

24. Durham University

England | Durham

For Economics

#45 in Europe

#153 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

25. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Economics

#49 in Europe

#166 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

26. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Economics

#51 in Europe

#168 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

27. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Economics

#52 in Europe

#173 in the World

Founded: 1892

28. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Economics

#53 in Europe

#174 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

29. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Economics

#55 in Europe

#179 in the World

Founded: 1964

30. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Economics

#56 in Europe

#180 in the World

Founded: 1964

31. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Economics

#58 in Europe

#182 in the World

Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

32. University of Bath

For Economics

#69 in Europe

#203 in the World

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

33. London Business School

England | London

For Economics

#70 in Europe

#204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

34. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Economics

#72 in Europe

#209 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

35. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Economics

#76 in Europe

#223 in the World

Founded: 1495

36. City, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#83 in Europe

#243 in the World

Founded: 1966

37. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Economics

#90 in Europe

#258 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

38. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Economics

#91 in Europe

#259 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

39. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Economics

#96 in Europe

#264 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

40. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Economics

#97 in Europe

#271 in the World

Founded: 1965

41. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Economics

#104 in Europe

#298 in the World

Founded: 1968

42. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Economics

#117 in Europe

#330 in the World

Founded: 1893

43. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Economics

#119 in Europe

#334 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1967

44. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Economics

#121 in Europe

#340 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

45. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Economics

#128 in Europe

#355 in the World

Founded: 1967

46. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Economics

#130 in Europe

#359 in the World

Founded: 1920

47. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#143 in Europe

#390 in the World

Founded: 1823

48. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Economics

#149 in Europe

#401 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 4,825
Founded: 1993

49. Keele University

England | Keele

For Economics

#150 in Europe

#404 in the World

Founded: 1962

50. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Economics

#151 in Europe

#405 in the World

Founded: 1954

51. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Economics

#152 in Europe

#406 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

52. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Economics

#156 in Europe

#416 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

53. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Economics

#162 in Europe

#426 in the World

Founded: 1849

54. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Economics

#163 in Europe

#433 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

55. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Economics

#177 in Europe

#467 in the World

Founded: 1992

56. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Economics

#185 in Europe

#489 in the World

Founded: 1895

57. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Economics

#190 in Europe

#501 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

58. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#193 in Europe

#505 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Enrollment: 6,295
Founded: 1916

59. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Economics

#195 in Europe

#507 in the World

Founded: 1967

60. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Economics

#199 in Europe

#527 in the World

Founded: 1992

61. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Economics

#209 in Europe

#546 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

62. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Economics

#210 in Europe

#547 in the World

Founded: 1992

63. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Economics

#217 in Europe

#566 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

64. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Economics

#221 in Europe

#580 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

65. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#229 in Europe

#601 in the World

Founded: 1733

66. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Economics

#234 in Europe

#606 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

67. University of Westminster

England | London

For Economics

#236 in Europe

#612 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

68. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Economics

#237 in Europe

#613 in the World

Founded: 1992

69. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Economics

#239 in Europe

#616 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

70. Bangor University

For Economics

#240 in Europe

#617 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

71. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Economics

#243 in Europe

#621 in the World

Founded: 1966

72. Middlesex University

England | London

For Economics

#251 in Europe

#647 in the World

Founded: 1973

73. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Economics

#255 in Europe

#656 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

74. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Economics

#259 in Europe

#661 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

75. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Economics

#270 in Europe

#698 in the World

Founded: 1992

76. London South Bank University

England | London

For Economics

#271 in Europe

#702 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

77. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Economics

#274 in Europe

#708 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

78. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Economics

#279 in Europe

#718 in the World

Founded: 1992

79. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Economics

#285 in Europe

#730 in the World

Founded: 1848

80. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Economics

#289 in Europe

#737 in the World

Founded: 1890

81. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#311 in Europe

#791 in the World

Founded: 1904

82. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Economics

#317 in Europe

#802 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

83. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Economics

#329 in Europe

#832 in the World

Founded: 1872

84. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Economics

#332 in Europe

#837 in the World

Founded: 1992

85. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Economics

#336 in Europe

#853 in the World

Founded: 1992

86. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Economics

#338 in Europe

#859 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

87. University of East London

England | London

For Economics

#356 in Europe

#926 in the World

Founded: 1992

88. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Economics

#364 in Europe

#944 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

89. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Economics

#366 in Europe

#949 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1992

90. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Economics

#374 in Europe

#970 in the World

Founded: 1841

91. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Economics

#385 in Europe

#990 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

92. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Economics

#393 in Europe

#1012 in the World

Founded: 1858

93. Robert Gordon University

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Economics

#409 in Europe

#1050 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

94. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Economics

#415 in Europe

#1085 in the World

Founded: 1992

95. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Economics

#426 in Europe

#1107 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

96. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For Economics

#440 in Europe

#1139 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

97. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Economics

#446 in Europe

#1159 in the World

Founded: 2005

98. Queen Margaret University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Economics

#463 in Europe

#1212 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2007

99. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Economics

#464 in Europe

#1216 in the World

Founded: 2006

100. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Economics

#472 in Europe

#1235 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

The best cities to study Economics in the United Kingdom based on the number of universities and their ranks are Oxford, London, Cambridge, and Manchester.

Economics subfields in the United Kingdom

Actuarial Science75

Agricultural Economics56

Development Studies139

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics110

Environmental Economics86

International Economics100

International Relations and Diplomacy83

International Trade103

Investment Banking and Stock trading88

Political Economy107