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405 Best Economics & Public Policy Universities in the United States

Cornell University leads the 405 Economics & Public Policy universities in the United States at #13 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. It is followed by University of Chicago (QS World #13) and Columbia University (QS World #14). Across the whole list there are 664 courses to choose from.

405 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
198Ranked
MC Mission College logo
#723 in United States United States

Mission College

Public University · 1 course in Economics & Public Policy

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#723 in United States · by research impact
115,201 citations · h-index 144
202Ranked
SU State University of New York at Cortland logo
#751 in United States Cortland, New York, United States

State University of New York at Cortland

Public University · 2 courses in Economics & Public Policy

USD 18,784/yrTuition (indicative)
Founded
5,901Students
International
Admissions open
#751 in United States · by research impact
101,971 citations · h-index 132

Related subjects

How these universities are ranked

43 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #13 (Cornell University) to #548 (Lehigh University); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of Washington has the largest research record in this group, with 98,078,141 citations and an h-index of 3,639. 7 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 398 public to 7 private institutions. By location, New York (6), Connecticut (2) and Minnesota (2) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is Yale University, founded in 1701. Ohio State University-Main Campus is the largest, with 45,638 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

By level: 473 bachelor's, 69 master's, 15 professional and 14 phd / doctorate. Within the subject, the largest areas are Economics & Public Policy (638), Economics (19), Public Policy (5) and Applied Economics (2). The usual length is 4 years and 1–2 years. 95% are full-time and 24 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (96% of courses with a stated intake). Institute for World Politics offers the widest choice, with 14 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 23 of these universities. University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at USD 5,274 a year and Columbia University the most at USD 66,000; the middle of the range is about USD 36,056. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Economics & Public Policy in the United States?

Cornell University (QS World #13), University of Chicago (QS World #13) and Columbia University (QS World #14) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Economics & Public Policy in the United States?

Of those with published fees, University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is the least expensive at about USD 5,274 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Economics & Public Policy in the United States?

398 public and 7 private universities are on this list.

How long does an Economics & Public Policy course take in the United States?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 1–2 years the next most common.

When do Economics & Public Policy courses start in the United States?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Economics & Public Policy online with a university in the United States?

24 of these courses are listed as online.

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