Best colleges for Economics in Illinois
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Chicago, Northwestern University and Wheaton College are the top bachelor's Economics programs in Illinois by graduate earnings. University of Chicago leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $92,075, College Scorecard. University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University award the most Economics degrees in Illinois: 781, 427 and 397 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 30 Illinois colleges offer Economics and award 1,990 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Economics program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. It explores how economies function and how individuals respond to various incentives, making…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $92,075 | 781 | 96% | $13,333 | $13,197 |
| 2 | Northwestern University Evanston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $84,932 | 397 | 95% | $14,799 | $16,227 |
| 3 | Wheaton College Wheaton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $62,889 | 20 | 85% | $23,461 | $21,000 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree | $58,921 | 427 | 85% | — | $21,228 |
| 5 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,529 | 28 | 78% | $25,052 | $27,000 |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,386 | 27 | 49% | — | $25,879 |
| 7 | Illinois State University Normal Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,015 | 29 | 65% | — | $25,000 |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,798 | 26 | 62% | — | $25,049 |
| 9 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,767 | 86 | 62% | — | $19,002 |
| 10 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,151 | 32 | 68% | $28,141 | $22,433 |
Colleges awarding the most Economics degrees in Illinois
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit | 781 | $92,075 |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public | 427 | $58,921 |
| 3 | Northwestern University Evanston Private not-for-profit | 397 | $84,932 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public | 86 | $37,767 |
| 5 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit | 32 | $37,151 |
| 6 | Illinois State University Normal Public | 29 | $44,015 |
| 7 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest Private not-for-profit | 28 | $53,529 |
| 8 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public | 27 | $45,386 |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale Public | 26 | $37,798 |
| 10 | Wheaton College Wheaton Private not-for-profit | 20 | $62,889 |
ShowHide the other 20 Illinois colleges offering Economics
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKendree University | Lebanon | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| North Central College | Naperville | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb | Public | 14 |
| Knox College | Galesburg | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago | Public | 10 |
| Elmhurst University | Elmhurst | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Rockford University | Rockford | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Augustana College | Rock Island | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Principia College | Elsah | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Eastern Illinois University | Charleston | Public | 3 |
| Governors State University | University Park | Public | 3 |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Illinois College | Jacksonville | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Dominican University | River Forest | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| University of Illinois Springfield | Springfield | Public | 1 |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Economists (SOC 19-3011).
Top skills
What Economists earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Economics programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Economics degrees?+
University of Chicago (781 graduates a year), University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (427 graduates a year) and Northwestern University (397 graduates a year) award the most Economics degrees in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 30 Illinois colleges offer Economics.
What is the best college for Economics in Illinois?+
By graduate earnings, University of Chicago leads among bachelor's Economics programs in Illinois, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $92,075, College Scorecard. Northwestern University and Wheaton College follow. By degrees awarded, University of Chicago is the largest, with 781 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Economics program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Chicago tops the list at $92,075. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
What is the focus of the Economics program?+
The Economics program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. It explores how economies function and how individuals respond to various incentives, making…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, mathematics, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Economists?+
The national job outlook is about +1.2% growth with around 900 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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