89 Best universities for Political Economy in England

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in England ranked based on their research performance in Political Economy. A graph of 1.51M citations received by 65K academic papers made by 89 universities in England 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. London School of Economics and Political Science

For Political Economy

#1 in the United Kingdom

#1 in Europe

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

2. University of Oxford

For Political Economy

#2 in the United Kingdom

#2 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. University of Manchester

For Political Economy

#3 in the United Kingdom

#3 in Europe

Founded: 1824

4. University of Cambridge

For Political Economy

#4 in the United Kingdom

#4 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

5. King's College London

For Political Economy

#5 in the United Kingdom

#6 in Europe

Founded: 1829

6. University of Warwick

For Political Economy

#6 in the United Kingdom

#7 in Europe

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

7. University of Birmingham

For Political Economy

#7 in the United Kingdom

#8 in Europe

Founded: 1900

8. University of Sussex

For Political Economy

#8 in the United Kingdom

#9 in Europe

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

9. University of Sheffield

For Political Economy

#9 in the United Kingdom

#11 in Europe

Founded: 1905

10. University of London

For Political Economy

#10 in the United Kingdom

#13 in Europe

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

11. University of Leeds

For Political Economy

#11 in the United Kingdom

#14 in Europe

Founded: 1904

12. University College London

For Political Economy

#14 in the United Kingdom

#17 in Europe

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

13. University of Essex

For Political Economy

#15 in the United Kingdom

#19 in Europe

Founded: 1964

14. University of Bristol

For Political Economy

#16 in the United Kingdom

#20 in Europe

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

15. University of Nottingham

For Political Economy

#17 in the United Kingdom

#25 in Europe

Founded: 1948

16. Durham University

For Political Economy

#18 in the United Kingdom

#26 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

17. SOAS, University of London

For Political Economy

#19 in the United Kingdom

#27 in Europe

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

18. University of Kent

For Political Economy

#20 in the United Kingdom

#30 in Europe

Founded: 1965

19. University of Exeter

For Political Economy

#21 in the United Kingdom

#31 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

20. Lancaster University

For Political Economy

#22 in the United Kingdom

#32 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

21. Queen Mary University of London

For Political Economy

#24 in the United Kingdom

#39 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

22. University of York

For Political Economy

#25 in the United Kingdom

#40 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

23. Newcastle University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Political Economy

#26 in the United Kingdom

#42 in Europe

Founded: 1963

24. University of Liverpool

For Political Economy

#28 in the United Kingdom

#47 in Europe

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

25. University of Southampton

For Political Economy

#30 in the United Kingdom

#49 in Europe

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

26. University of East Anglia

For Political Economy

#31 in the United Kingdom

#50 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

27. Keele University

For Political Economy

#32 in the United Kingdom

#54 in Europe

Founded: 1962

28. University of Leicester

For Political Economy

#33 in the United Kingdom

#55 in Europe

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

29. Loughborough University

For Political Economy

#34 in the United Kingdom

#56 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

30. Birkbeck, University of London

For Political Economy

#35 in the United Kingdom

#58 in Europe

Founded: 1823

31. University of Bath

For Political Economy

#36 in the United Kingdom

#59 in Europe

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

32. University of Westminster

For Political Economy

#39 in the United Kingdom

#70 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

33. Royal Holloway, University of London

For Political Economy

#40 in the United Kingdom

#72 in Europe

Founded: 1849

34. Goldsmiths, University of London

For Political Economy

#41 in the United Kingdom

#75 in Europe

Founded: 1904

35. City, University of London

For Political Economy

#42 in the United Kingdom

#89 in Europe

Founded: 1966

36. University of Bradford

For Political Economy

#43 in the United Kingdom

#91 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

37. University of Hull

Kingston upon Hull

For Political Economy

#44 in the United Kingdom

#92 in Europe

Founded: 1954

38. University of Reading

For Political Economy

#45 in the United Kingdom

#96 in Europe

Founded: 1892

39. University of Surrey

For Political Economy

#46 in the United Kingdom

#98 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

40. Brunel University London

For Political Economy

#50 in the United Kingdom

#113 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

41. Nottingham Trent University

For Political Economy

#51 in the United Kingdom

#115 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

42. Coventry University

For Political Economy

#52 in the United Kingdom

#116 in Europe

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

43. De Montfort University

For Political Economy

#53 in the United Kingdom

#117 in Europe

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

44. Manchester Metropolitan University

For Political Economy

#54 in the United Kingdom

#120 in Europe

Founded: 1992

45. Northumbria University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Political Economy

#55 in the United Kingdom

#122 in Europe

Founded: 1992

46. University of East London

For Political Economy

#56 in the United Kingdom

#123 in Europe

Founded: 1992

47. University of the West of England

For Political Economy

#58 in the United Kingdom

#128 in Europe

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

48. University of Brighton

For Political Economy

#59 in the United Kingdom

#135 in Europe

Founded: 1992

49. University of Salford

For Political Economy

#60 in the United Kingdom

#136 in Europe

Founded: 1967

50. London Metropolitan University

For Political Economy

#61 in the United Kingdom

#142 in Europe

Founded: 1848

51. University of Plymouth

For Political Economy

#62 in the United Kingdom

#145 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

52. University of Portsmouth

For Political Economy

#64 in the United Kingdom

#150 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

53. University of Huddersfield

For Political Economy

#65 in the United Kingdom

#156 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

54. Oxford Brookes University

For Political Economy

#66 in the United Kingdom

#157 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

55. Aston University

For Political Economy

#67 in the United Kingdom

#163 in Europe

Founded: 1895

56. Sheffield Hallam University

For Political Economy

#69 in the United Kingdom

#168 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

57. University of Lincoln

For Political Economy

#70 in the United Kingdom

#176 in Europe

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

58. Middlesex University

For Political Economy

#71 in the United Kingdom

#186 in Europe

Founded: 1973

59. University of Greenwich

For Political Economy

#72 in the United Kingdom

#193 in Europe

Founded: 1890

60. Leeds Beckett University

For Political Economy

#74 in the United Kingdom

#198 in Europe

Founded: 1992

61. University of Roehampton

For Political Economy

#75 in the United Kingdom

#205 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

62. Liverpool John Moores University

For Political Economy

#76 in the United Kingdom

#223 in Europe

Founded: 1992

63. London South Bank University

For Political Economy

#77 in the United Kingdom

#224 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

64. University of Wolverhampton

For Political Economy

#78 in the United Kingdom

#227 in Europe

Founded: 1992

65. Liverpool Hope University

For Political Economy

#79 in the United Kingdom

#228 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Founded: 2005

66. University of Hertfordshire

For Political Economy

#80 in the United Kingdom

#241 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

67. Kingston University

Kingston upon Thames

For Political Economy

#81 in the United Kingdom

#248 in Europe

Founded: 1992

68. Cranfield University

For Political Economy

#82 in the United Kingdom

#251 in Europe

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

69. Canterbury Christ Church University

For Political Economy

#83 in the United Kingdom

#257 in Europe

Founded: 2005

70. Bournemouth University

For Political Economy

#84 in the United Kingdom

#259 in Europe

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

71. University of Central Lancashire

For Political Economy

#85 in the United Kingdom

#260 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

72. London Business School

For Political Economy

#87 in the United Kingdom

#269 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

73. Staffordshire University

For Political Economy

#88 in the United Kingdom

#280 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

74. Teesside University

For Political Economy

#89 in the United Kingdom

#283 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

75. Imperial College London

For Political Economy

#90 in the United Kingdom

#296 in Europe

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

76. University of Sunderland

For Political Economy

#91 in the United Kingdom

#303 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

77. Edge Hill University

For Political Economy

#92 in the United Kingdom

#311 in Europe

Founded: 2006

78. University of Derby

For Political Economy

#93 in the United Kingdom

#320 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1992

79. Birmingham City University

For Political Economy

#95 in the United Kingdom

#324 in Europe

Founded: 1992

80. University of Bedfordshire

For Political Economy

#96 in the United Kingdom

#332 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

81. School of Advanced Study, University of London

For Political Economy

#98 in the United Kingdom

#346 in Europe

Founded: 1994

82. University of Winchester

For Political Economy

#99 in the United Kingdom

#347 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

83. Bath Spa University

For Political Economy

#100 in the United Kingdom

#348 in Europe

Enrollment: 6,863
Founded: 1975

84. University of Buckingham

For Political Economy

#102 in the United Kingdom

#355 in Europe

Founded: 1973

85. University of Chester

For Political Economy

#103 in the United Kingdom

#359 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

86. Anglia Ruskin University

For Political Economy

#104 in the United Kingdom

#379 in Europe

Founded: 1858

87. University of Northampton

For Political Economy

#105 in the United Kingdom

#400 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

88. University of Worcester

For Political Economy

#107 in the United Kingdom

#406 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Enrollment: 10,798
Founded: 2005

89. York St John University

For Political Economy

#108 in the United Kingdom

#445 in Europe

Founded: 1841

Closest to England states to learn Political Economy

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Wales	6	23
Scotland	11	12

Economics subfields in England

Actuarial Science62

Agricultural Economics44

Development Studies110

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics89

Environmental Economics72

International Economics80

International Relations and Diplomacy69

International Trade85

Investment Banking and Stock trading72