There will always be a resistance to sourced data — and a preference for anecdote — on CC. That has proven to be the nature of the forum. Nonetheless, it seems that in cases of larger schools, the data from a source similar to that introduced up-thread would be more likely to be accepted. Though I have no preconceptions on the topic, most would think it entirely credible that Yale, #10 in the following analysis, might support a generally more internationally renowned economics faculty than the (also highly credible) Penn State (#30): https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.usecondept.html. However, by a parallel site, https://ideas.repec.org/top/top.uslacecon.html, in which Hamilton places 7th and Smith 33rd, the source itself has been called into question. In addition, I’m not sure whom you are arguing against, @warblersrule, in that I haven’t gleaned much from the OP’s posts to suggest that Hamilton would be a good match for her, and have posted information contrary to this opinion with some degree of reluctance. Lastly, do I have an, as yet unstated, opinion as to which of the OP’s alternatives would be stronger for the study of economics specifically? She can ask me that if she’d like.