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Colleges for Economics in Illinois

35 colleges in Illinois award a bachelor’s degree in economics, according to federal data. Each is rated on academics and value, with every figure linked to its source.

Highest-rated

Where graduates earn the most

Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates in this field a few years after finishing, from the College Scorecard.

RankCollegeMedian earningsMedian debt
1University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
Earnings $159,578 · Debt $13,395
$159,578$13,395
2Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
Earnings $126,006 · Debt $15,250
$126,006$15,250
3DePaul University
Chicago, IL
Earnings $100,185 · Debt $20,000
$100,185$20,000
4University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
Earnings $86,860 · Debt $19,500
$86,860$19,500
5Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL
Earnings $84,829 · Debt $21,000
$84,829$21,000
6North Central College
Naperville, IL
Earnings $80,494 · Debt $26,801
$80,494$26,801
7Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL
Earnings $68,935 · Debt $26,991
$68,935$26,991
8Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
Earnings $66,760 · Debt $24,976
$66,760$24,976
9University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL
Earnings $63,429 · Debt $17,500
$63,429$17,500
10Knox College
Galesburg, IL
Earnings $62,144 · Debt $24,498
$62,144$24,498
11Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
Earnings $60,612 · Debt $21,201
$60,612$21,201
12Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago, IL
Earnings $58,252 · Debt —
$58,252—

See all

All 35

Filter, sort and compare these colleges

SchoolCompass ScoreValueAcademicsNet priceStudents
University of Chicago Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.
Chicago · Private nonprofit
A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A+Academics: A+ (grade A+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$14,86018,339
Northwestern University Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.
Evanston · Private nonprofit
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A+Academics: A+ (grade A+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$29,16723,203
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.
Champaign · Public
AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.AAcademics: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$14,35556,563
Wheaton College Honor RollCollege Compass Guide Honor Roll: the top 10% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ and A), from academics and value.
Wheaton · Private nonprofit
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.AAcademics: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$26,9752,799
Lake Forest College RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Lake Forest · Private nonprofit
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$28,6731,818
Illinois Institute of Technology RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Chicago · Private nonprofit
A-Value: Excellent (grade A-): the top 20% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$18,4258,563
Illinois Wesleyan University RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Bloomington · Private nonprofit
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$28,1991,576
Knox College RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Galesburg · Private nonprofit
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$24,5951,001
Loyola University Chicago RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Chicago · Private nonprofit
C+Value: Solid (grade C+): the rest of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$36,07917,397
Augustana College RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Rock Island · Private nonprofit
BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$22,7362,484
Bradley University RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Peoria · Private nonprofit
BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.A-Academics: A- (grade A-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$22,7195,217
DePaul University RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Chicago · Private nonprofit
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B+Academics: B+ (grade B+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$30,90221,348
University of Illinois Chicago RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Chicago · Public
A+Value: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B+Academics: B+ (grade B+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$10,97433,522
University of St. Francis RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Joliet · Private nonprofit
AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B+Academics: B+ (grade B+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$13,0063,185
Elmhurst University RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Elmhurst · Private nonprofit
BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B+Academics: B+ (grade B+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$24,1853,906
North Central College RecommendedCompass Recommended: the top 35% of rated colleges by Compass Score (grades A+ to B+), from academics and value.
Naperville · Private nonprofit
BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B+Academics: B+ (grade B+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$21,0442,856
Illinois State University
Normal · Public
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$19,39820,989
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais · Private nonprofit
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$20,7293,275
Monmouth College
Monmouth · Private nonprofit
BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B+Academics: B+ (grade B+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$17,133727
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville · Public
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$14,88912,045
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield · Public
AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$9,8334,661
Illinois College
Jacksonville · Private nonprofit
BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$18,298958
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale · Public
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$13,29711,359
Dominican University
River Forest · Private nonprofit
A-Value: Excellent (grade A-): the top 20% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$11,7453,424
North Park University
Chicago · Private nonprofit
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$16,9482,624
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb · Public
A-Value: Excellent (grade A-): the top 20% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.BAcademics: Good (grade B): 70 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$13,39115,504
Governors State University
University Park · Public
AValue: Exceptional (grade A): the top 10% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.C+Academics: C+ (grade C+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$12,3294,337
McKendree University
Lebanon · Private nonprofit
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B-Academics: B- (grade B-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$24,7172,075
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston · Public
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B-Academics: B- (grade B-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$12,7868,804
Benedictine University
Lisle · Private nonprofit
BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B-Academics: B- (grade B-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$22,3132,989
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago · Public
A-Value: Excellent (grade A-): the top 20% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.C+Academics: C+ (grade C+): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$14,1095,504
Western Illinois University
Macomb · Public
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B-Academics: B- (grade B-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$12,9377,073
Rockford University
Rockford · Private nonprofit
BValue: Good (grade B): the top 55% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B-Academics: B- (grade B-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$22,4361,249
Roosevelt University
Chicago · Private nonprofit
B-Value: Good (grade B-): the top 75% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank, so no college gets a D or an F.B-Academics: B- (grade B-): 0 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.$20,1944,015
Principia College
Elsah · Private nonprofit
—N/AValue: Not enough information. Federal data does not cover enough of this to grade it yet.AAcademics: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100, from federal data.—338

Common questions

How many colleges in Illinois offer a economics degree?

35, counting colleges that award a bachelor’s degree in economics in the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard data. Some colleges offer the field as a minor or under another name; check each college’s catalog.

How are these colleges rated?

Every college is rated from the U.S. Department of Education’s data: Academic Excellence (graduation, retention, preparation and teaching) and Value (what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and student debt). The major does not affect the grades. See the methodology.

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