Department of Economics

ADVANCING ECONOMIC RESEARCH

EDUCATING FUTURE LEADERS

Research with Real Impact

Northwestern Economics is home to world-renowned faculty, groundbreaking research, and one of the world's leading PhD programs. Our scholars shape economic policy, advance theory, and prepare students to tackle society's most pressing challenges. The research conducted by our faculty and students informs public and monetary policy, international relations, and impacts the lives of those close to home and abroad.

Jeffrey Ely, Professor and Department Chair

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World-Class Faculty

JOEL MOKYR FEATURED IN NORTHWESTERN MAGAZINE

Prof. Joel Mokyr is the focus of a new article in Northwestern Magazine discussing the personal and academic journey that led to his 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.

PROF. CHARLES MANSKI AWARDED 2025 BBVA FRONTIERS OF KNOWLEDGE AWARD

Prof. Manski receives the award in recognition of his groundbreaking work on uncertainty.

JAMIE DOYLE '92 MAKES A TRANSFORMATIVE GIFT TO THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Economics wishes to express our deepest gratitude to Jamie and Ruby Doyle, who have made a transformative gift of $500,000 in support of our students and faculty and their ongoing education and research.

Undergraduate Program

Our BA in Economics program boasts the largest enrollment of any undergraduate major at Northwestern with over one thousand majors and minors.

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Graduate Program

Our PhD program consistently ranks among the top graduate economics programs in the world and attracts an international body of talented future economic leaders.

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Groundbreaking Research

Prof. Robert Gordon Revisits AI and Productivity with Bloomberg

"In 2020 two economists walked into a bar in San Diego and made a bet. Erik Brynjolfsson, head of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab, wagered that from 2020 to 2030, artificial intelligence would drive US labor productivity growth to more than 1.8% per year on average. [Prof. Robert Gordon] thought AI progress would be a little slower going. He put his money on productivity growth coming in below 1.8%. At stake: $400, to be donated to charity."

Prof. Molly Schnell Presents Keynote on Health Economics

Department of Economics Professor Molly Schnell presented the keynote on The Economics of Physician Decision Making at the American European Health Economics Study Group in Berlin in June 2026.

Prof. Schnell's research centers on health care, public economics, and industrial organization. Her research examines the causes and consequences of provider behavior, with a particular focus on the drivers of physician practice styles. Her work also explores how local environments—including access to medical care, availability of healthy foods, and exposure to violence—shape health and broader economic outcomes.

Prof. Christopher Udry Discusses Poverty Traps & the Search for Solutions

Why does poverty persist, and what can be done to break the cycle? In this Buffett Q&A, Department of Economics Professor Christopher Udry explores the forces that keep people in poverty and examines how evidence-based policies, including cash transfers, can help people build better futures. Drawing on decades of research in Ghana and across the developing world, Udry discusses the importance of understanding what works, where, and why. At the heart of his work is a conviction that where someone is born should never determine their ability to live a full life.

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