57 Best colleges for Economics in Illinois

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Illinois ranked based on their research performance in Economics. A graph of 4.43M citations received by 137K academic papers made by 57 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

#7 in the United States

#8 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Economics

#20 in the United States

#22 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Economics

#29 in the United States

#31 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,095

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#44 in the United States

#49 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 81%

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#128 in the United States

#148 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $37,511

6. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Economics

#151 in the United States

#173 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1020
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 99%

7. DePaul University

Chicago

For Economics

#152 in the United States

#174 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $32,151

8. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Economics

#155 in the United States

#178 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $12,552
Enrollment: 15,649

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Economics

#167 in the United States

#192 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

10. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Economics

#187 in the United States

#214 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $28,702

11. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Economics

#272 in the United States

#304 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 98%

12. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Economics

#303 in the United States

#339 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1043
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $16,296

13. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Economics

#361 in the United States

#401 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1010
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $11,773

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Economics

#370 in the United States

#410 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $15,632
Enrollment: 7,643

15. Rush University

Chicago

For Economics

#371 in the United States

#411 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,870
Male:Female: 22:78
Founded: 1972

16. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Economics

#414 in the United States

#457 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $30,096

17. Bradley University

Peoria

For Economics

#422 in the United States

#465 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $24,053

18. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Economics

#462 in the United States

#506 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 30:70

19. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Economics

#475 in the United States

#520 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $15,143
Enrollment: 5,756

20. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Economics

#476 in the United States

#521 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $22,117

21. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Economics

#493 in the United States

#541 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1104
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

22. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Economics

#542 in the United States

#594 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $29,961

23. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Economics

#554 in the United States

#606 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $11,302
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,886

24. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Economics

#591 in the United States

#648 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 1,940
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1912

25. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Economics

#624 in the United States

#682 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1247
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $27,839

26. National Louis University

Chicago

For Economics

#644 in the United States

#703 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Net Price: $14,769
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $9,641

27. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Economics

#659 in the United States

#721 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $15,891
Enrollment: 2,317

28. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#668 in the United States

#730 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 40
Male:Female: 77:23

29. Governors State University

University Park

For Economics

#700 in the United States

#764 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 945
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $11,987

30. North Central College

Naperville

For Economics

#758 in the United States

#827 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $25,285

31. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Economics

#781 in the United States

#851 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

32. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Economics

#809 in the United States

#879 in North America

Enrollment: 331
Male:Female: 2:98

33. Dominican University

River Forest

For Economics

#819 in the United States

#889 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1015
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $18,162

34. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Economics

#867 in the United States

#937 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,660

35. Knox College

Galesburg

For Economics

#882 in the United States

#952 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $26,882

36. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Economics

#929 in the United States

#1000 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1110
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $24,108

37. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Economics

#944 in the United States

#1015 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1110
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $20,237

38. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Economics

#947 in the United States

#1018 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $18,560

39. Millikin University

Decatur

For Economics

#962 in the United States

#1034 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1065
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $10,492

40. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Economics

#968 in the United States

#1040 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $19,184

41. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Economics

#987 in the United States

#1059 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $25,658
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $20,083

42. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Economics

#1012 in the United States

#1085 in North America

Net Price: $20,319
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $12,832
Enrollment: 242

43. Aurora University

Aurora

For Economics

#1016 in the United States

#1089 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1089
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $19,350

44. Rockford University

Rockford

For Economics

#1033 in the United States

#1106 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 963
Average ACT: 16
Net Price: $25,047

45. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Economics

#1039 in the United States

#1114 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 498
Male:Female: 39:61
Founded: 1906

46. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#1042 in the United States

#1117 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Net Price: $53,923
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $18,290

47. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Economics

#1075 in the United States

#1150 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Net Price: $21,575
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,112

48. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Economics

#1121 in the United States

#1196 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 41
Net Price: $30,112

49. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Economics

#1133 in the United States

#1208 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $28,387
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $18,020

50. Greenville University

Greenville

For Economics

#1143 in the United States

#1218 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1009
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,718

51. North Park University

Chicago

For Economics

#1152 in the United States

#1227 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $19,029
Receiving Aid: 100%

52. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Economics

#1203 in the United States

#1279 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Net Price: $20,059
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,708

53. Adler University

Chicago

For Economics

#1251 in the United States

#1329 in North America

Enrollment: 1,841
Male:Female: 18:82
Founded: 1952

54. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Economics

#1267 in the United States

#1346 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 481
Male:Female: 27:73
Founded: 1872

55. McKendree University

Lebanon

For Economics

#1279 in the United States

#1358 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Net Price: $22,431
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,145

56. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Economics

#1288 in the United States

#1367 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $10,288
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $10,468

57. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Economics

#1298 in the United States

#1379 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $18,832
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,141

Closest to Illinois states to learn Economics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	27	54
Missouri	29	40
Iowa	24	43
Kentucky	21	68
Wisconsin	30	15
Tennessee	27	46
Ohio	52	19
Michigan	29	2
Arkansas	16	139
West Virginia	13	117
Minnesota	26	16
Mississippi	12	175
Kansas	11	78
Alabama	22	87
Virginia	38	37
Georgia	35	42
North Carolina	36	17
Oklahoma	15	101
Nebraska	11	99
South Carolina	23	62
Pennsylvania	95	6
South Dakota	8	339
District of Columbia	9	45
Louisiana	23	83
Maryland	25	14
New York	119	5
New Jersey	24	21
North Dakota	5	212
Connecticut	20	11
Texas	68	23
Vermont	8	131
Colorado	17	59
Massachusetts	62	1
Rhode Island	9	61
Florida	46	30
New Hampshire	10	66
New Mexico	6	100
Maine	9	236
Montana	4	198
Utah	10	52
Arizona	7	28
Idaho	6	228
Nevada	5	145
Oregon	17	103
Washington	22	8
California	104	3
Puerto Rico	10	566
Alaska	4	279
Hawaii	6	123

Economics subfields in Illinois

Actuarial Science12

Agricultural Economics6

Development Studies52

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics21

Environmental Economics7

Finance33

International Economics13

International Relations and Diplomacy11

International Trade13

Investment Banking and Stock trading15

Political Economy18