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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics in the Great Lakes Region

143 Ranked Colleges
5,721 Degrees Awarded
$46,675 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s” ranking.

Economics is the 19th most popular major in the country with 49,055 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $48,736 and had an average of $22,046 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 6,916 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,027 and $23,639 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,721 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,343 and $26,790 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 143 colleges that offer a degree in economics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular economics programs in the United States.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s”.

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 624 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Economics at UW - Madison

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 618 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Economics at U-M

3
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 143 schools in the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 491 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full University of Chicago Economics Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 443 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Economics Report

5
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 351 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Northwestern University

6
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s list. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 343 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Michigan State Economics Report

7

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s list. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 288 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Economics Report

8
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Notre Dame, Indiana. It awarded 254 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Economics at Notre Dame

9
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 142 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Economics Report

10

Miami University - Oxford ranked #10 on this year’s Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Oxford, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 137 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Miami University - Oxford Economics Report

11

With a ranking of #11, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s list. IU Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 124 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Economics Report

12

University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. UIC is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 117 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Economics Report

13
DePauw crest
DePauw University
Greencastle, Indiana

DePauw University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. DePauw is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Greencastle, Indiana. It awarded 90 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Economics at DePauw

14

With a ranking of #14, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s list. UC is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at UC

15
Denison crest
Denison University
Granville, Ohio

Denison University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Denison is located in Granville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Economics at Denison University

16

Case Western Reserve University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Case Western Reserve University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 58 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Economics at Case Western Reserve University

17

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 46 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

17

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Economics Report

19
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. Ball State University is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 39 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ball State University Economics Report

19
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. Wayne State University is a public institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Wayne State Economics Report

19

Kent State University at Kent did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. Kent State University at Kent is a large school located in Kent, Ohio that handed out 39 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at Kent State University at Kent

22
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Marquette University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Economics at Marquette University

23
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

With a ranking of #23, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s list. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Wheaton College Illinois

24
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

With a ranking of #24, Oberlin College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s list. Oberlin, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 34 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Oberlin College Economics Report

24
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Albion College
Albion, Michigan

Albion College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. Albion is a small school located in Albion, Michigan that handed out 34 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Economics at Albion College

24
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking. Hillsdale College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hillsdale, Michigan. It awarded 34 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Hillsdale College Economics Report

24

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Economics Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 34 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Illinois State

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