2023 Best Economics Schools in Illinois
Finding the Best Economics School for You
With 2,155 degrees and certificates handed out in 2020-2021, economics is the #13 most popular major in Illinois.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Economics Schools in Illinois to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 24 schools in Illinois to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Economics Schools in Illinois
Check out the economics programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Economics Schools
Our analysis found University of Chicago to be the best school for economics students who want to pursue a degree in Illinois. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago.
After completing their degree, economics graduates from UChicago carry an average student debtload of $16,256. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $708.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Northwestern University is a great place for economics students. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.
The average amount in student loans that economics majors at Northwestern take out is $15,500. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $456.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Wheaton College Illinois is a great place for economics students. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wheaton.
On average, economics graduates from Wheaton College Illinois take out $22,944 in student loans while working on their degree.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a great place for economics students. Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public college with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, economics graduates from UIUC carry an average student debtload of $19,500. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $392.
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The excellent programs at Lake Forest College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best economics schools in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Lake Forest, Lake Forest is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Economics majors at Lake Forest take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
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Dominican University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best economics programs. Located in the large suburb of River Forest, Dominican U is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
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Augustana College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Economics Schools in Illinois list. Augustana is a small private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Rock Island.
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With a ranking of #8, North Central College did quite well on this year’s best schools for economics students. North Central is a small private not-for-profit school located in the medium-sized city of Naperville.
Economics majors at North Central take out an average of $26,843 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $215.
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Illinois State University landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best economics programs. Illinois State is a very large public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Normal.
After completing their degree, economics graduates from Illinois State carry an average student debtload of $25,625.
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With a ranking of #10, Elmhurst University did quite well on this year’s best schools for economics students. Located in the suburb of Elmhurst, Elmhurst is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
Full Economics at Elmhurst University Report
Request InformationBest Economics Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
Explore all the Best Economics Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 1,496 |
| Ohio | 1,136 |
| Indiana | 889 |
| Wisconsin | 1,225 |
More Economics Rankings in Illinois
Economics Related Rankings by Major
Economics is one of 12 different types of programs to choose from.
Majors Similar to Economics
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Political Science & Government | 49,282 |
| Sociology | 38,475 |
| General Social Sciences | 18,997 |
| International Relations & National Security | 14,306 |
| Anthropology | 11,415 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 24 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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