48 Best colleges for Literature in Illinois

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Illinois ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 861K citations received by 36.8K academic papers made by 48 universities in Illinois was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Literature

#11 in the United States

#12 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 61%

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#12 in the United States

#13 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,979

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Literature

#27 in the United States

#31 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,341

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#62 in the United States

#73 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 80%

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#98 in the United States

#117 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $37,592

6. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Literature

#112 in the United States

#133 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1000
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $11,122

7. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Literature

#133 in the United States

#157 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $13,565
Enrollment: 15,504

8. Illinois State University

Normal

For Literature

#141 in the United States

#166 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Literature

#156 in the United States

#181 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $32,129

10. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Literature

#161 in the United States

#187 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

11. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Literature

#238 in the United States

#270 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1295
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $25,001

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Literature

#314 in the United States

#350 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 93%

13. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Literature

#343 in the United States

#381 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,346

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Literature

#354 in the United States

#393 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $15,620
Enrollment: 7,073

15. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Literature

#365 in the United States

#404 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $31,310

16. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Literature

#392 in the United States

#434 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 1,949
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1912

17. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Literature

#440 in the United States

#487 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Net Price: $11,943
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,290

18. Knox College

Galesburg

For Literature

#462 in the United States

#510 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1253
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $25,524

19. Bradley University

Peoria

For Literature

#476 in the United States

#524 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $24,703

20. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Literature

#481 in the United States

#529 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1081
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $17,255

21. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Literature

#487 in the United States

#535 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,695

22. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Literature

#526 in the United States

#579 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $12,560
Enrollment: 5,504

23. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Literature

#539 in the United States

#593 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Average SAT: 1268
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $29,894

24. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Literature

#558 in the United States

#613 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 955
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $21,503

25. North Central College

Naperville

For Literature

#608 in the United States

#666 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1173
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,190

26. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#660 in the United States

#719 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Net Price: $29,790
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,851

27. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Literature

#665 in the United States

#724 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1110
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

28. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#668 in the United States

#727 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $55,485
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $18,872

29. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Literature

#673 in the United States

#732 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $22,760

30. Rush University

Chicago

For Literature

#739 in the United States

#803 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,782
Male:Female: 22:78
Founded: 1972

31. Governors State University

University Park

For Literature

#759 in the United States

#825 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $11,315
Enrollment: 4,337

32. Catholic Theological Union at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#774 in the United States

#840 in North America

Enrollment: 198
Male:Female: 64:36
Founded: 1968

33. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#792 in the United States

#858 in North America

Enrollment: 114
Male:Female: 44:56

34. North Park University

Chicago

For Literature

#807 in the United States

#873 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $19,910
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,779

35. Millikin University

Decatur

For Literature

#823 in the United States

#890 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Average SAT: 1015
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $10,078

36. National Louis University

Chicago

For Literature

#837 in the United States

#905 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $15,724
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $9,722

37. Dominican University

River Forest

For Literature

#849 in the United States

#917 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1037
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $16,969

38. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Literature

#882 in the United States

#952 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $19,088

39. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Evanston

For Literature

#899 in the United States

#970 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 299
Male:Female: 44:56

40. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Literature

#909 in the United States

#980 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $19,472

41. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Literature

#912 in the United States

#983 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

42. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Literature

#921 in the United States

#992 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $19,111
Enrollment: 2,324

43. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Literature

#935 in the United States

#1006 in North America

Enrollment: 133
Male:Female: 63:37

44. Chicago Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Literature

#945 in the United States

#1016 in North America

Enrollment: 202
Male:Female: 42:58

45. Trinity International University - Illinois

Deerfield

For Literature

#953 in the United States

#1024 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $21,260
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,365

46. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Literature

#965 in the United States

#1036 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 32:68

47. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Literature

#970 in the United States

#1041 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,008
Receiving Aid: 84%
Average Aid: $5,947

48. Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Lisle

For Literature

#988 in the United States

#1060 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 6
Male:Female: 50:50

Closest to Illinois states to learn Literature

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	23	20
Missouri	19	46
Iowa	12	37
Kentucky	17	75
Wisconsin	19	15
Tennessee	18	45
Ohio	39	13
Michigan	26	5
Arkansas	10	107
West Virginia	3	139
Minnesota	22	22
Mississippi	7	178
Kansas	8	64
Alabama	15	91
Virginia	32	26
Georgia	29	42
North Carolina	29	25
Oklahoma	9	95
Nebraska	7	92
South Carolina	15	71
Pennsylvania	67	16
South Dakota	5	370
District of Columbia	9	52
Louisiana	17	53
Maryland	20	21
New York	101	3
New Jersey	20	19
North Dakota	2	218
Connecticut	15	7
Texas	57	8
Vermont	5	142
Colorado	17	41
Massachusetts	48	4
Rhode Island	7	63
Florida	28	38
New Hampshire	8	94
New Mexico	4	101
Maine	7	187
Utah	6	51
Arizona	6	28
Idaho	3	223
Oregon	13	73
Washington	17	10
California	85	1
Puerto Rico	3	575
Hawaii	4	108

Closest to Illinois states to learn Literature

Art & Design subfields in Illinois