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Best Colleges for Economics

The best colleges for a Economics degree, led by University of Chicago, Princeton University and Columbia University in the City of New York. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Economics programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Economics?

Based on our rankings, University of Chicago is the top-ranked college for Economics. Other top choices include Princeton University, Columbia University in the City of New York, University of Pennsylvania.

What are the best Economics schools?

The best Economics schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are University of Chicago, Princeton University, Columbia University in the City of New York. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Economics?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Economics programs is approximately $65,932 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.

How long does it take to get a Economics degree?

A bachelor's degree in Economics typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.

How are these Economics rankings determined?

Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.

Career outcomes for Economics graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Economics programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $103,345 per year. Below are the highest-paying Economics programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

  1. 1. University of Chicago — Chicago, IL · 4.5% acceptance · SAT 1,554 · $70,662 tuition · 96% grad rate
  2. 2. Princeton University — Princeton, NJ · 4.6% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $62,688 tuition · 98% grad rate
  3. 3. Columbia University in the City of New York — New York, NY · 4% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $71,845 tuition · 96% grad rate
  4. 4. University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, PA · 5.4% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $68,686 tuition · 97% grad rate
  5. 5. Harvard University — Cambridge, MA · 3.7% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $61,676 tuition · 98% grad rate
  6. 6. Duke University — Durham, NC · 5.7% acceptance · SAT 1,548 · $68,758 tuition · 97% grad rate
  7. 7. Northwestern University — Evanston, IL · 7.7% acceptance · SAT 1,533 · $68,322 tuition · 95% grad rate
  8. 8. Stanford University — Stanford, CA · 3.6% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $65,910 tuition · 92% grad rate
  9. 9. Yale University — New Haven, CT · 3.9% acceptance · SAT 1,534 · $67,250 tuition · 96% grad rate
  10. 10. Cornell University — Ithaca, NY · 8.8% acceptance · SAT 1,535 · $69,314 tuition · 95% grad rate
  11. 11. Carnegie Mellon University — Pittsburgh, PA · 11.7% acceptance · SAT 1,546 · $66,246 tuition · 94% grad rate
  12. 12. University of California-Berkeley — Berkeley, CA · 11% acceptance · $50,547 tuition · 93% grad rate
  13. 13. Dartmouth College — Hanover, NH · 5.4% acceptance · SAT 1,534 · $68,268 tuition · 96% grad rate
  14. 14. Rice University — Houston, TX · 8% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $64,144 tuition · 95% grad rate
  15. 15. Vanderbilt University — Nashville, TN · 5.9% acceptance · SAT 1,549 · $67,498 tuition · 94% grad rate
  16. 16. Brown University — Providence, RI · 5.4% acceptance · SAT 1,546 · $71,412 tuition · 96% grad rate
  17. 17. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, MI · 15.6% acceptance · SAT 1,465 · $60,946 tuition · 93% grad rate
  18. 18. Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, MD · 6.4% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $65,230 tuition · 94% grad rate
  19. 19. New York University — New York, NY · 9.2% acceptance · SAT 1,520 · $62,796 tuition · 88% grad rate
  20. 20. University of Notre Dame — Notre Dame, IN · 11.3% acceptance · SAT 1,520 · $65,025 tuition · 95% grad rate
  21. 21. University of Virginia-Main Campus — Charlottesville, VA · 16.8% acceptance · SAT 1,480 · $59,512 tuition · 96% grad rate
  22. 22. Williams College — Williamstown, MA · 8.3% acceptance · SAT 1,533 · $68,560 tuition · 94% grad rate
  23. 23. Emory University — Atlanta, GA · 10.7% acceptance · SAT 1,520 · $64,280 tuition · 91% grad rate
  24. 24. Tufts University — Medford, MA · 11.5% acceptance · SAT 1,513 · $70,704 tuition · 94% grad rate
  25. 25. Georgetown University — Washington, DC · 12.9% acceptance · SAT 1,487 · $68,017 tuition · 95% grad rate

Best Colleges for Economics on PickACampus