Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

51 Best Universities in Illinois for Economics

We ranked the top 51 universities for Economics in Illinois based on strict academic metrics. Our methodology evaluated 156.6K subject-specific papers and 6.94M citations to find the strongest faculties. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

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1

Chicago

University of Chicago

For Economics

#5 in United States #5 in North America

4% Acceptance

7,598 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

2

Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

For Economics

#22 in United States #24 in North America

42% Acceptance

37,140 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

3

Evanston

Northwestern University

For Economics

#25 in United States #27 in North America

8% Acceptance

9,399 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

4

Chicago

University of Illinois at Chicago

For Economics

#47 in United States #52 in North America

77% Acceptance

22,495 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

5

Chicago

Loyola University Chicago

For Economics

#129 in United States #151 in North America

82% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

6

Chicago

DePaul University

For Economics

#149 in United States #173 in North America

76% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1235 Avg SAT

1898 Founded

7

Carbondale

Southern Illinois University – Carbondale

For Economics

#159 in United States #184 in North America

87% Acceptance

2,708 Enrollment

1030 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

8

DeKalb

Northern Illinois University

For Economics

#161 in United States #186 in North America

70% Acceptance

16,744 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1895 Founded

9

Normal, IL

Illinois State University

For Economics

#169 in United States #194 in North America

88% Acceptance

6,332 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1857 Founded

10

Chicago

Illinois Institute of Technology

For Economics

#188 in United States #215 in North America

55% Acceptance

3,135 Enrollment

1310 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

11

Edwardsville

Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville

For Economics

#272 in United States #304 in North America

97% Acceptance

16,744 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

12

Jacksonville, IL

Illinois College

For Economics

#299 in United States #335 in North America

78% Acceptance

2,256 Enrollment

1032 Avg SAT

1829 Founded

13

Chicago

Rush University

For Economics

#359 in United States #399 in North America

33% Acceptance

2,109 Enrollment

1135 Avg SAT

1972 Founded

14

Charleston, IL

Eastern Illinois University

For Economics

#363 in United States #403 in North America

65% Acceptance

3,231 Enrollment

985 Avg SAT

1895 Founded

15

Macomb

Western Illinois University

For Economics

#375 in United States #415 in North America

71% Acceptance

7,895 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

16

Bloomington, IL

Illinois Wesleyan University

For Economics

#411 in United States #454 in North America

39% Acceptance

1,582 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

17

Peoria, IL

Bradley University

For Economics

#439 in United States #483 in North America

77% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1897 Founded

18

Evanston

NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

For Economics

#477 in United States #526 in North America

73% Acceptance

1,677 Enrollment

1135 Avg SAT

19

Chicago

Northeastern Illinois University

For Economics

#481 in United States #530 in North America

75% Acceptance

4,397 Enrollment

990 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

20

Chicago

Roosevelt University

For Economics

#495 in United States #544 in North America

97% Acceptance

4,397 Enrollment

1035 Avg SAT

1945 Founded

21

Springfield, IL

University of Illinois at Springfield

For Economics

#499 in United States #548 in North America

86% Acceptance

6,332 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1969 Founded

22

Wheaton

Wheaton College – Illinois

For Economics

#526 in United States #577 in North America

87% Acceptance

2,150 Enrollment

1365 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

23

Chicago

Saint Xavier University

For Economics

#564 in United States #618 in North America

84% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1846 Founded

24

Lake Forest

Lake Forest College

For Economics

#656 in United States #717 in North America

57% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1292 Avg SAT

1857 Founded

25

Chicago

Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

For Economics

#666 in United States #727 in North America

10% Acceptance

6,353 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

26

Chicago

National Louis University

For Economics

#671 in United States #732 in North America

95% Acceptance

14,263 Enrollment

1085 Avg SAT

1886 Founded

27

Chicago

Chicago State University

For Economics

#680 in United States #741 in North America

43% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

28

University Park, IL

Governors State University

For Economics

#714 in United States #777 in North America

48% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1035 Avg SAT

1969 Founded

29

Chicago

John Marshall Law School

For Economics

#751 in United States #817 in North America

52% Acceptance

420 Enrollment

1485 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

30

Naperville

North Central College

For Economics

#802 in United States #871 in North America

77% Acceptance

2,054 Enrollment

1183 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

31

River Forest

Dominican University

For Economics

#821 in United States #891 in North America

90% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

990 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

32

Chicago

Erikson Institute

For Economics

#839 in United States #909 in North America

80% Acceptance

1,631 Enrollment

1025 Avg SAT

33

Rock Island

Augustana College

For Economics

#850 in United States #921 in North America

63% Acceptance

2,522 Enrollment

1150 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

34

Romeoville

Lewis University

For Economics

#904 in United States #975 in North America

71% Acceptance

16,744 Enrollment

1085 Avg SAT

1932 Founded

35

Galesburg

For Economics

#908 in United States #979 in North America

71% Acceptance

6,332 Enrollment

1310 Avg SAT

1837 Founded

36

Joliet

University of St Francis

For Economics

#934 in United States #1005 in North America

65% Acceptance

1,343 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1920 Founded

37

Carlinville

Blackburn College

For Economics

#979 in United States #1052 in North America

63% Acceptance

5,086 Enrollment

1001 Avg SAT

1837 Founded

38

Elmhurst

Elmhurst College

For Economics

#984 in United States #1057 in North America

74% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1871 Founded

39

Decatur, IL

Millikin University

For Economics

#985 in United States #1058 in North America

67% Acceptance

6,332 Enrollment

995 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

40

Chicago

Columbia College Chicago

For Economics

#1002 in United States #1076 in North America

89% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1228 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

41

Lombard

National University of Health Sciences

For Economics

#1019 in United States #1093 in North America

67% Acceptance

564 Enrollment

1906 Founded

42

Aurora, IL

Aurora University

For Economics

#1023 in United States #1097 in North America

81% Acceptance

4,397 Enrollment

1025 Avg SAT

1893 Founded

43

Lisle

Benedictine University

For Economics

#1036 in United States #1110 in North America

95% Acceptance

2,238 Enrollment

1080 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

44

Rockford

Rockford University

For Economics

#1039 in United States #1113 in North America

93% Acceptance

983 Enrollment

960 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

45

Monmouth, IL

Monmouth College

For Economics

#1106 in United States #1182 in North America

91% Acceptance

713 Enrollment

1105 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

46

Chicago

DeVry University – Illinois

For Economics

#1122 in United States #1198 in North America

98% Acceptance

6,045 Enrollment

865 Avg SAT

1931 Founded

47

Chicago

North Park University

For Economics

#1174 in United States #1251 in North America

69% Acceptance

200 Enrollment

1025 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

48

Bourbonnais

Olivet Nazarene University

For Economics

#1250 in United States #1327 in North America

56% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1085 Avg SAT

1907 Founded

49

Greenville, IL

Greenville University

For Economics

#1258 in United States #1336 in North America

97% Acceptance

5,086 Enrollment

1001 Avg SAT

1892 Founded

50

Chicago

Adler University

For Economics

#1275 in United States #1354 in North America

92% Acceptance

121 Enrollment

1030 Avg SAT

1952 Founded

51

River Forest

Concordia University – Chicago

For Economics

#1312 in United States #1394 in North America

93% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1140 Avg SAT

1864 Founded