58 Best colleges for Economics in Illinois

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Illinois ranked based on their research performance in Economics. A graph of 6.68M citations received by 155K academic papers made by 58 universities in Illinois 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 Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#5 in the United States

#5 in North America

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

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Economics

#22 in the United States

#24 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Economics

#24 in the United States

#26 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#46 in the United States

#51 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#129 in the United States

#150 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $37,592

6. DePaul University

Chicago

For Economics

#148 in the United States

#172 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $32,129

7. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Economics

#157 in the United States

#181 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

8. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Economics

#159 in the United States

#184 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $13,565
Enrollment: 15,504

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Economics

#168 in the United States

#193 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

10. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Economics

#188 in the United States

#215 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1295
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $25,001

11. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Economics

#272 in the United States

#304 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 93%

12. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Economics

#299 in the United States

#335 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1081
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $17,255

13. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Economics

#359 in the United States

#399 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1000
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $11,122

14. Rush University

Chicago

For Economics

#361 in the United States

#401 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,782
Male:Female: 22:78
Founded: 1972

15. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Economics

#373 in the United States

#413 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $15,620
Enrollment: 7,073

16. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Economics

#409 in the United States

#452 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $31,310

17. Bradley University

Peoria

For Economics

#436 in the United States

#480 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $24,703

18. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Economics

#476 in the United States

#525 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 32:68

19. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Economics

#477 in the United States

#526 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $12,560
Enrollment: 5,504

20. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Economics

#494 in the United States

#543 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 955
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $21,503

21. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Economics

#496 in the United States

#545 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1110
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

22. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Economics

#525 in the United States

#576 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,346

23. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Economics

#561 in the United States

#615 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Net Price: $11,943
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,290

24. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Economics

#623 in the United States

#681 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 1,949
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1912

25. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Economics

#653 in the United States

#714 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Average SAT: 1268
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $29,894

26. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#663 in the United States

#724 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 38
Male:Female: 73:27

27. National Louis University

Chicago

For Economics

#667 in the United States

#728 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $15,724
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $9,722

28. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Economics

#678 in the United States

#739 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $19,111
Enrollment: 2,324

29. Governors State University

University Park

For Economics

#717 in the United States

#779 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $11,315
Enrollment: 4,337

30. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Economics

#744 in the United States

#810 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

31. North Central College

Naperville

For Economics

#800 in the United States

#869 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1173
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,190

32. Dominican University

River Forest

For Economics

#824 in the United States

#894 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1037
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $16,969

33. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Economics

#836 in the United States

#906 in North America

Enrollment: 368
Male:Female: 2:98

34. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Economics

#842 in the United States

#912 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,695

35. Knox College

Galesburg

For Economics

#909 in the United States

#980 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1253
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $25,524

36. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Economics

#914 in the United States

#985 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $19,472

37. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Economics

#930 in the United States

#1001 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $16,455

38. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Economics

#975 in the United States

#1047 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Net Price: $21,349
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $15,613

39. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Economics

#985 in the United States

#1058 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $22,760

40. Millikin University

Decatur

For Economics

#987 in the United States

#1060 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1015
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $10,078

41. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#996 in the United States

#1069 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Net Price: $29,790
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,851

42. Aurora University

Aurora

For Economics

#1021 in the United States

#1095 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1032
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,220

43. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Economics

#1022 in the United States

#1096 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 513
Male:Female: 38:62
Founded: 1906

44. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Economics

#1033 in the United States

#1107 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $24,570
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $21,484

45. Rockford University

Rockford

For Economics

#1037 in the United States

#1111 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $24,098

46. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#1041 in the United States

#1116 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $55,485
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $18,872

47. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Economics

#1084 in the United States

#1159 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $20,319
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $12,832

48. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Economics

#1095 in the United States

#1170 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $19,088

49. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Economics

#1118 in the United States

#1193 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $31,063

50. North Park University

Chicago

For Economics

#1171 in the United States

#1248 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $19,910
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,779

51. McKendree University

Lebanon

For Economics

#1242 in the United States

#1319 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Net Price: $25,200
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $22,269

52. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Economics

#1244 in the United States

#1321 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $22,707

53. Greenville University

Greenville

For Economics

#1258 in the United States

#1336 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1015
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $21,442

54. Adler University

Chicago

For Economics

#1282 in the United States

#1361 in North America

Enrollment: 1,674
Male:Female: 18:82
Founded: 1952

55. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Economics

#1289 in the United States

#1369 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,008
Receiving Aid: 84%
Average Aid: $5,947

56. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Economics

#1299 in the United States

#1379 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 483
Male:Female: 26:74
Founded: 1872

57. American InterContinental University

Schaumburg

For Economics

#1303 in the United States

#1384 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,394
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $6,547

58. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Economics

#1316 in the United States

#1398 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $17,767
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,680

Closest to Illinois states to learn Economics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	29	39
Missouri	31	42
Iowa	24	49
Kentucky	22	68
Wisconsin	30	15
Tennessee	28	47
Ohio	54	19
Michigan	33	3
Arkansas	16	133
West Virginia	14	116
Minnesota	27	18
Mississippi	12	172
Kansas	11	79
Alabama	22	90
Virginia	39	38
Georgia	36	43
North Carolina	38	17
Oklahoma	15	100
Nebraska	12	94
South Carolina	23	67
Pennsylvania	96	6
South Dakota	8	322
District of Columbia	9	44
Louisiana	23	83
Maryland	25	14
New York	123	7
New Jersey	24	16
North Dakota	5	211
Connecticut	20	10
Texas	69	25
Vermont	8	134
Colorado	18	62
Massachusetts	63	1
Rhode Island	9	58
Florida	48	30
New Hampshire	11	56
New Mexico	7	102
Maine	9	240
Montana	5	201
Utah	10	52
Arizona	7	29
Idaho	7	230
Nevada	5	153
Oregon	17	98
Washington	23	8
California	107	2
Puerto Rico	10	574
Alaska	4	282
Hawaii	6	122

Economics subfields in Illinois

Actuarial Science12

Agricultural Economics6

Development Studies53

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics23

Environmental Economics7

Finance38

International Economics14

International Relations and Diplomacy11

International Trade14

Investment Banking and Stock trading15

Political Economy19