58 Best colleges for Economics in Illinois

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Illinois ranked based on their research performance in Economics. A graph of 6.97M citations received by 158K 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: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $28,060

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Economics

#22 in the United States

#24 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Economics

#25 in the United States

#27 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,830

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#47 in the United States

#52 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#129 in the United States

#151 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $39,147

6. DePaul University

Chicago

For Economics

#149 in the United States

#173 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $34,135

7. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Economics

#159 in the United States

#184 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%

8. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Economics

#161 in the United States

#186 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $14,387
Enrollment: 15,414

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Economics

#169 in the United States

#194 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 24
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: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $24,796

11. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Economics

#272 in the United States

#304 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 95%

12. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Economics

#299 in the United States

#335 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1032
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $17,375

13. Rush University

Chicago

For Economics

#359 in the United States

#399 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,769
Male:Female: 21:79
Founded: 1972

14. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Economics

#363 in the United States

#403 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 985
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $12,960

15. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Economics

#375 in the United States

#415 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $14,994
Enrollment: 6,332

16. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Economics

#411 in the United States

#454 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $28,644

17. Bradley University

Peoria

For Economics

#439 in the United States

#483 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $23,787
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,808

18. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Economics

#477 in the United States

#526 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

19. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Economics

#481 in the United States

#530 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $12,876
Enrollment: 5,734

20. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Economics

#495 in the United States

#544 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,366

21. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Economics

#499 in the United States

#548 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

22. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Economics

#526 in the United States

#577 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,356

23. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Economics

#564 in the United States

#618 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $11,318
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $31,985

24. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Economics

#624 in the United States

#682 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,021
Male:Female: 39:61
Founded: 1912

25. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Economics

#656 in the United States

#717 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1292
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,225

26. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#666 in the United States

#727 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 39
Male:Female: 76:24

27. National Louis University

Chicago

For Economics

#671 in the United States

#732 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $13,150
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $11,056

28. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Economics

#680 in the United States

#741 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $18,194
Enrollment: 2,238

29. Governors State University

University Park

For Economics

#714 in the United States

#777 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $11,455
Enrollment: 4,397

30. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Economics

#751 in the United States

#817 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

31. North Central College

Naperville

For Economics

#802 in the United States

#871 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1183
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $23,276

32. Dominican University

River Forest

For Economics

#821 in the United States

#891 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 990
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $13,402

33. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Economics

#839 in the United States

#909 in North America

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

34. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Economics

#850 in the United States

#921 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,714

35. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Economics

#904 in the United States

#975 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $18,959

36. Knox College

Galesburg

For Economics

#908 in the United States

#979 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,709

37. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Economics

#934 in the United States

#1005 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $14,045

38. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Economics

#979 in the United States

#1052 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Net Price: $18,460
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,456

39. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Economics

#984 in the United States

#1057 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $24,629

40. Millikin University

Decatur

For Economics

#985 in the United States

#1058 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 995
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,813

41. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#1002 in the United States

#1076 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Net Price: $29,473
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,780

42. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Economics

#1019 in the United States

#1093 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 511
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1906

43. Aurora University

Aurora

For Economics

#1023 in the United States

#1097 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $19,053

44. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Economics

#1036 in the United States

#1110 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $23,139
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,911

45. Rockford University

Rockford

For Economics

#1039 in the United States

#1113 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $23,642

46. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#1052 in the United States

#1127 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $55,631
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,050

47. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Economics

#1073 in the United States

#1149 in North America

Net Price: $30,212
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $3,499
Enrollment: 263

48. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Economics

#1106 in the United States

#1182 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $17,768

49. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Economics

#1122 in the United States

#1198 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 865
Average ACT: 15
Net Price: $30,889

50. North Park University

Chicago

For Economics

#1174 in the United States

#1251 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $20,372
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,476

51. McKendree University

Lebanon

For Economics

#1243 in the United States

#1320 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Net Price: $22,444
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $26,102

52. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Economics

#1250 in the United States

#1327 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,281

53. Greenville University

Greenville

For Economics

#1258 in the United States

#1336 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1001
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,799

54. Adler University

Chicago

For Economics

#1275 in the United States

#1354 in North America

Enrollment: 1,631
Male:Female: 19:81
Founded: 1952

55. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Economics

#1286 in the United States

#1366 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $8,310
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $14,748

56. American InterContinental University

Schaumburg

For Economics

#1288 in the United States

#1368 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,726
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $7,671

57. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Economics

#1305 in the United States

#1385 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 474
Male:Female: 26:74
Founded: 1872

58. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Economics

#1312 in the United States

#1394 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $19,073
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $26,361

Closest to Illinois states to learn Economics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	29	39
Missouri	33	41
Iowa	24	49
Kentucky	23	68
Wisconsin	30	15
Tennessee	28	46
Ohio	54	19
Michigan	33	3
Arkansas	16	133
West Virginia	14	116
Minnesota	27	17
Mississippi	12	173
Kansas	11	78
Alabama	22	90
Virginia	39	38
Georgia	36	43
North Carolina	39	16
Oklahoma	15	100
Nebraska	12	95
South Carolina	23	67
Pennsylvania	96	6
South Dakota	8	324
District of Columbia	9	44
Louisiana	23	83
Maryland	25	12
New York	123	7
New Jersey	24	18
North Dakota	5	210
Connecticut	20	10
Texas	69	23
Vermont	8	134
Colorado	18	61
Massachusetts	63	1
Rhode Island	9	56
Florida	48	30
New Hampshire	11	57
New Mexico	7	105
Maine	9	240
Montana	5	201
Utah	10	52
Arizona	7	29
Idaho	7	232
Nevada	5	151
Oregon	17	99
Washington	23	8
California	109	2
Puerto Rico	10	572
Alaska	4	282
Hawaii	6	122

Economics subfields in Illinois

Actuarial Science13

Agricultural Economics6

Development Studies53

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics24

Environmental Economics7

Finance38

International Economics14

International Relations and Diplomacy11

International Trade14

Investment Banking and Stock trading15

Political Economy19