by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in the Great Lakes Region to determine which ones were the best for economics students pursuing a doctor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 254 doctor's degrees in economics to qualified students.
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. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a doctor's degree school is important to ensure a good 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.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their doctor's degree from the school. After all, your doctor's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete 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 in the Great Lakes Region.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a doctor's degree in economics.
It is difficult to beat Northwestern University if you wish to pursue a doctor's degree in economics. Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston.More information about a doctorate in economics from Northwestern University
University of Chicago is one of the best schools in the country for getting a doctor's degree in economics. Located in the large city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from University of Chicago
It's difficult to beat University of Michigan - Ann Arbor if you want to pursue a doctor's degree in economics. U-M is a fairly large public university located in the city of Ann Arbor.More information about a doctorate in economics from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
University of Wisconsin - Madison is a great decision for students pursuing a doctor's degree in economics. Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from University of Wisconsin - Madison
Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a doctorate in economics from Michigan State University
IU Bloomington is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Bloomington.More information about a doctorate in economics from Indiana University - Bloomington
SIUC is a fairly large public university located in the distant town of Carbondale.More information about a doctorate in economics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Explore the best economics colleges for a specific state in the Great Lakes Region .
Economics is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Econometrics & Quantitative Economics | 240 |
| General Economics | 14 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Sociology | 114 |
| Political Science & Government | 101 |
| Anthropology | 85 |
| Geography & Cartography | 22 |
| General Social Sciences | 7 |
| Urban Studies | 5 |
| Archeology | 1 |