by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2025, College Factual analyzed 49 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,385 doctor's degrees in economics during the <nil> academic year.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The economics doctor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Doctor's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their doctor's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their doctor's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for economics students working on their doctor's degree.
The economics school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools.
Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for economics students seeking a a doctor's degree.
Northwestern University is a wonderful decision for individuals interested in a doctor's degree in economics. Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston.More information about a doctorate in economics from Northwestern University
University of Pennsylvania is a great option for individuals pursuing a doctor's degree in economics. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from University of Pennsylvania
It is difficult to beat Columbia University in the City of New York if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in economics. Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from Columbia University in the City of New York
Any student who is interested in a doctor's degree in economics has to check out University of Chicago. Located in the large city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from University of Chicago
Cornell is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Ithaca.More information about a doctorate in economics from Cornell University
Harvard is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Cambridge.More information about a doctorate in economics from Harvard University
Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Stanford.More information about a doctorate in economics from Stanford University
Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from Duke University
UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley.More information about a doctorate in economics from University of California - Berkeley
Located in the city of Providence, Brown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from Brown University
Here are some additional great schools for Economics students that almost earned our Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Georgetown University | Washington, DC |
| 12 | Yale University | New Haven, CT |
| 13 | Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA |
| 14 | Princeton University | Princeton, NJ |
| 15 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Ann Arbor, MI |
| 16 | New York University | New York, NY |
View the Best Economics Doctor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.
Economics is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Econometrics & Quantitative Economics | 1,203 |
| General Economics | 161 |
| Applied Economics | 13 |
| Development Economics & International Development | 4 |
| Other Economics | 4 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Political Science & Government | 737 |
| Sociology | 602 |
| Anthropology | 472 |
| Geography & Cartography | 199 |
| International Relations & National Security | 94 |
| Other Social Sciences | 83 |
| Urban Studies | 44 |
| General Social Sciences | 26 |
| Demography & Population Studies | 15 |
| Archeology | 9 |