100 Best universities for Economics in the United Kingdom

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 31M citations received by 961K academic papers made by 144 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

#19 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

5. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Economics

#5 in Europe

#29 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. Imperial College London

England | London

For Economics

#8 in Europe

#52 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

7. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Economics

#10 in Europe

#55 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

8. King's College London

England | London

For Economics

#11 in Europe

#56 in the World

Founded: 1829

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

#64 in the World

Founded: 1948

11. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Economics

#14 in Europe

#67 in the World

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

12. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Economics

#15 in Europe

#68 in the World

Founded: 1900

13. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Economics

#17 in Europe

#70 in the World

Founded: 1905

14. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Economics

#19 in Europe

#77 in the World

Founded: 1904

15. University of York

For Economics

#21 in Europe

#84 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

16. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Economics

#22 in Europe

#85 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

17. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Economics

#24 in Europe

#91 in the World

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

18. University of London

England | London

For Economics

#25 in Europe

#96 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

19. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Economics

#29 in Europe

#103 in the World

Founded: 1451

20. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Economics

#37 in Europe

#134 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

21. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Economics

#38 in Europe

#135 in the World

Founded: 1997

22. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Economics

#39 in Europe

#137 in the World

Founded: 1963

23. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Economics

#41 in Europe

#140 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

24. Durham University

England | Durham

For Economics

#44 in Europe

#145 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

25. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Economics

#49 in Europe

#163 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

26. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Economics

#51 in Europe

#169 in the World

Founded: 1892

27. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Economics

#52 in Europe

#173 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

28. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Economics

#57 in Europe

#183 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

29. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Economics

#58 in Europe

#184 in the World

Founded: 1964

30. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Economics

#64 in Europe

#194 in the World

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

31. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Economics

#67 in Europe

#199 in the World

Founded: 1964

32. London Business School

England | London

For Economics

#70 in Europe

#202 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

33. University of Bath

For Economics

#74 in Europe

#213 in the World

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

34. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Economics

#77 in Europe

#219 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

35. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Economics

#82 in Europe

#229 in the World

Founded: 1495

36. City, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#85 in Europe

#239 in the World

Founded: 1966

37. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Economics

#94 in Europe

#259 in the World

Founded: 1965

38. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Economics

#95 in Europe

#261 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

39. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Economics

#96 in Europe

#266 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

40. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Economics

#98 in Europe

#274 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

41. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Economics

#110 in Europe

#312 in the World

Founded: 1968

42. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Economics

#116 in Europe

#327 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

43. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Economics

#117 in Europe

#331 in the World

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

44. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Economics

#124 in Europe

#348 in the World

Founded: 1920

45. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Economics

#128 in Europe

#362 in the World

Founded: 1967

46. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#147 in Europe

#399 in the World

Founded: 1823

47. Keele University

England | Keele

For Economics

#151 in Europe

#410 in the World

Founded: 1962

48. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Economics

#152 in Europe

#411 in the World

Founded: 1893

49. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Economics

#153 in Europe

#414 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

50. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Economics

#155 in Europe

#424 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

51. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Economics

#157 in Europe

#426 in the World

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

52. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Economics

#158 in Europe

#427 in the World

Founded: 1954

53. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Economics

#169 in Europe

#449 in the World

Founded: 1849

54. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Economics

#174 in Europe

#459 in the World

Founded: 1992

55. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Economics

#181 in Europe

#476 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

56. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#188 in Europe

#488 in the World

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

57. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Economics

#191 in Europe

#502 in the World

Founded: 1895

58. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Economics

#195 in Europe

#517 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

59. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Economics

#200 in Europe

#529 in the World

Founded: 1967

60. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Economics

#203 in Europe

#537 in the World

Founded: 1992

61. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Economics

#211 in Europe

#554 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

62. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Economics

#214 in Europe

#571 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

63. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Economics

#216 in Europe

#575 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

64. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#231 in Europe

#611 in the World

Founded: 1733

65. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Economics

#232 in Europe

#612 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

66. University of Westminster

England | London

For Economics

#236 in Europe

#616 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

67. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Economics

#239 in Europe

#621 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

68. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Economics

#247 in Europe

#640 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

69. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Economics

#249 in Europe

#644 in the World

Founded: 1992

70. Bangor University

For Economics

#253 in Europe

#653 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

71. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Economics

#256 in Europe

#665 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

72. Middlesex University

England | London

For Economics

#260 in Europe

#675 in the World

Founded: 1973

73. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Economics

#265 in Europe

#684 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

74. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Economics

#266 in Europe

#689 in the World

Founded: 1966

75. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Economics

#268 in Europe

#696 in the World

Founded: 1890

76. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Economics

#271 in Europe

#705 in the World

Founded: 1992

77. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Economics

#280 in Europe

#726 in the World

Founded: 1992

78. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Economics

#283 in Europe

#733 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

79. London South Bank University

England | London

For Economics

#291 in Europe

#758 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

80. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Economics

#302 in Europe

#787 in the World

Founded: 1848

81. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Economics

#312 in Europe

#812 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

82. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Economics

#316 in Europe

#819 in the World

Founded: 1904

83. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Economics

#330 in Europe

#851 in the World

Founded: 1872

84. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Economics

#339 in Europe

#865 in the World

Founded: 1992

85. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Economics

#348 in Europe

#899 in the World

Founded: 1992

86. University of East London

England | London

For Economics

#351 in Europe

#913 in the World

Founded: 1992

87. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Economics

#354 in Europe

#924 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

88. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Economics

#368 in Europe

#959 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Enrollment: 19,710
Founded: 1992

89. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Economics

#382 in Europe

#997 in the World

Founded: 1858

90. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Economics

#384 in Europe

#1003 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

91. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Economics

#395 in Europe

#1034 in the World

Founded: 1841

92. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Economics

#409 in Europe

#1058 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

93. Robert Gordon University

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Economics

#421 in Europe

#1095 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

94. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Economics

#431 in Europe

#1120 in the World

Founded: 1992

95. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Economics

#436 in Europe

#1137 in the World

Founded: 2005

96. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Economics

#441 in Europe

#1148 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

97. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For Economics

#453 in Europe

#1194 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

98. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Economics

#477 in Europe

#1302 in the World

Founded: 2006

99. Queen Margaret University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Economics

#478 in Europe

#1310 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2007

100. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Economics

#490 in Europe

#1339 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 Science77

Agricultural Economics56

Development Studies139

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics113

Environmental Economics89

International Economics101

International Relations and Diplomacy81

International Trade107

Investment Banking and Stock trading91

Political Economy108