Illinois · Economics

Best institutions to study Economics in Illinois

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…

Institutions
30
offering CIP 45.06
States & territories
52
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,990
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$53,529
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
14
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,085
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
63%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Economists
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Chicago
Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$92,07578196%$13,333$13,197
2Northwestern University
Evanston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$84,93239795%$14,799$16,227
3Wheaton College
Wheaton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$62,8892085%$23,461$21,000
4University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign
Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree
$58,92142785%$21,228
5Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$54,1691261%$20,903$27,000
6Lake Forest College
Lake Forest Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$53,5292878%$25,052$27,000
7North Central College
Naperville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$52,7281464%$20,052$26,801
8Northern Illinois University
Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,3862749%$25,879
9Illinois State University
Normal Public · Bachelor's degree
$44,0152965%$25,000
10Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago Public · Bachelor's degree
$40,0041022%

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Economists (SOC 19-3011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.2%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~900
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$115,440
typically Master's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingMathematicsReading ComprehensionSpeakingActive ListeningWriting

What Economists earn in Illinois

Jobs in Illinois
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
annual
Best-paying metro

Related careers

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$87,940 avg · 40,560 jobs
Data Scientists
$117,870 avg · 10,520 jobs
Statisticians
$120,170 avg · 480 jobs
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
$128,760 avg · 460 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Economics programs in Illinois.

Which Economics program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of Chicago tops the list at $92,075. Compare it against completions, 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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