College Research

CollegesRankingsMajors

2025-26 Rankings

Best Economics Colleges

Our rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics including academic selectivity, institutional resources, and tuition costs.

Note: Tuition costs shown for public universities reflect in-state tuition rates.

The history of Harvard University
#1
Harvard University

Cambridge, MAPrivate

4%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$73,849/yr

SAT RANGE

1510-1580

GRADUATION RATE

97%

"Harvard University beckons as America's oldest intellectual powerhouse, where you'll chase groundbreaking ideas alongside the world's sharpest minds in a relentless pursuit of excellence."

Stunning Gothic architectural details of a historic university building in Chicago, surrounded by lush greenery.
#2
University of Chicago

Chicago, ILPrivate

4%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$81,288/yr

SAT RANGE

1510-1580

GRADUATION RATE

96%

"The intellectual playground where quirky minds wrestle big ideas amid Chicago's gritty skyline, earning its 'where fun goes to die' badge with pride."

Historic Columbia University Library in a sunny outdoor setting.
#3
4%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$79,569/yr

SAT RANGE

1510-1580

GRADUATION RATE

92%

"Manhattan's urban Ivy where first-years debate Plato amid skyscrapers and subway rhythms."

Duke University - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
#4
Duke University

Durham, NCPrivate

6%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$78,563/yr

SAT RANGE

1500-1570

GRADUATION RATE

96%

"Duke fuses Gothic grandeur and basketball madness with relentless ambition in North Carolina's brainy Research Triangle."

New Student Welcome Site | Vanderbilt University
#5
Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TNPrivate

6%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$80,184/yr

SAT RANGE

1500-1570

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Vanderbilt blends Southern charm and academic intensity in Music City's heart, where you'll chase ambitions amid live music and magnolia trees."

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (2026) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with  Photos) - Tripadvisor
#6
University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PAPrivate

5%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$75,386/yr

SAT RANGE

1510-1570

GRADUATION RATE

96%

"Ben Franklin's urban powerhouse where pre-professional hustlers chase Wharton deals, biotech breakthroughs, and Ivy ambition amid Philly's historic grit."

Low angle view of Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University against clear Chicago sky.
#7
Northwestern University

Evanston, ILPrivate

8%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$83,517/yr

SAT RANGE

1510-1570

GRADUATION RATE

96%

"Northwestern fuses rigorous academics and Big Ten athletics on a chilly Lake Michigan shore, delivering Chicago's energy without the full urban chaos."

University of Michigan - Taubman College
#8
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MIPublic

16%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$32,782/yr

SAT RANGE

1360-1530

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Michigan equips driven undergrads with Big Ten scale and research muscle in a walkable college town that punches above its weight."

The Rotunda (University of Virginia) - Wikipedia
#9
University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VAPublic

17%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$33,921/yr

SAT RANGE

1410-1540

GRADUATION RATE

93%

"Thomas Jefferson's Rotunda-centered vision where ambitious students swear by an ironclad Honor Code amid Virginia's rolling hills."

Gasson Hall - Wikipedia
#10
Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MAPrivate

16%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$81,866/yr

SAT RANGE

1440-1540

GRADUATION RATE

92%

"You'll tackle Jesuit-fueled challenges on a hilltop campus minutes from Boston's heartbeat, emerging as a service-driven leader amid fierce competition."

Healy Hall, a historic architectural landmark at Georgetown University, Washington, DC.
#11
Georgetown University

Washington, DCPrivate

13%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$83,068/yr

SAT RANGE

1390-1550

GRADUATION RATE

95%

"Georgetown catapults politically savvy, globally minded overachievers into DC's power corridors from its Jesuit hilltop overlooking the Potomac."

Tufts Will Be Tuition-Free for U.S. Families Earning Less Than $150,000 |  Association of American Universities (AAU)
#12
Tufts University

Medford, MAPrivate

11%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$82,392/yr

SAT RANGE

1470-1560

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Tufts delivers Ivy-caliber academics with a jumbo-sized heart for global citizenship, right in Boston's backyard."

New York University - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
#13
New York University

New York, NYPrivate

9%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$78,914/yr

SAT RANGE

1480-1560

GRADUATION RATE

87%

"NYU catapults you into New York's electric chaos, where aspiring artists, financiers, and global thinkers hustle amid skyscrapers and street performers."

Stunning facade of Powell Library at UCLA in Los Angeles showcasing exquisite Romanesque architecture.
#14
University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CAPublic

9%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$29,933/yr

SAT RANGE

1330-1530

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Sun-drenched Bruin hub fuses blockbuster film dreams with biotech breakthroughs in bustling Westwood."

UC leads American public research universities in global impact, new  rankings show | University of California
#15
11%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$35,314/yr

SAT RANGE

1350-1510

GRADUATION RATE

94%

"Public research powerhouse born from 1868 merger, fueling Silicon Valley brains and Free Speech legacy."

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2026) - All You Need to Know  BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)
#16
15%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$20,823/yr

SAT RANGE

1390-1530

GRADUATION RATE

92%

"At UNC Chapel Hill, you'll join America's first public university, where Tar Heel spirit ignites fierce academics amid pine-scented walks and basketball fever in the Research Triangle."

Explore the iconic brick architecture of UCLA's Royce Hall in Los Angeles.
#17
University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CAPrivate

10%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$83,399/yr

SAT RANGE

1450-1550

GRADUATION RATE

93%

"LA's ambitious private giant where film visionaries, business leaders, and engineers thrive amid urban energy and Trojan pride."

Campaign for BU: Campus Transformed | Bostonia | Boston University
#18
Boston University

Boston, MAPrivate

11%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$80,070/yr

SAT RANGE

1420-1530

GRADUATION RATE

88%

"Boston University's sprawling urban heartbeat thrusts you into Boston's professional whirlwind, blending gritty city ambition with surprising academic intimacy."

About – Division of Research
#19
Texas A & M University-College Station

College Station, TXPublic

57%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$21,823/yr

SAT RANGE

1150-1400

GRADUATION RATE

86%

"Gig'em Aggies: A colossal Texas powerhouse where unbreakable traditions and the world's largest student-run military corps forge engineers, leaders, and lifelong networkers."

Category:University of Wisconsin-Madison - Wikimedia Commons
#20
45%
Acceptance Rate
TOTAL COST

$21,406/yr

SAT RANGE

1380-1520

GRADUATION RATE

89%

"At UW-Madison, you'll dive into a massive lakeside research engine fueled by Badger loyalty, where Big Ten weekends collide with cutting-edge labs in America's quirkiest state capital."