48 Best colleges for Literature in Illinois

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Illinois ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 897K citations received by 37.4K 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: 42%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#12 in the United States

#13 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $28,060

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Literature

#27 in the United States

#31 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,830

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#62 in the United States

#73 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#100 in the United States

#119 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $39,147

6. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Literature

#115 in the United States

#137 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 985
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $12,960

7. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Literature

#140 in the United States

#165 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $14,387
Enrollment: 15,414

8. Illinois State University

Normal

For Literature

#142 in the United States

#167 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Literature

#156 in the United States

#181 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $34,135

10. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Literature

#162 in the United States

#189 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%

11. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Literature

#238 in the United States

#271 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $24,796

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Literature

#317 in the United States

#353 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 95%

13. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Literature

#346 in the United States

#384 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,356

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Literature

#362 in the United States

#401 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $14,994
Enrollment: 6,332

15. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Literature

#364 in the United States

#403 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $28,644

16. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Literature

#386 in the United States

#428 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,021
Male:Female: 39:61
Founded: 1912

17. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Literature

#441 in the United States

#488 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $11,318
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $31,985

18. Knox College

Galesburg

For Literature

#462 in the United States

#510 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,709

19. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Literature

#472 in the United States

#520 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1032
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $17,375

20. Bradley University

Peoria

For Literature

#479 in the United States

#527 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $23,787
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,808

21. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Literature

#496 in the United States

#547 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,714

22. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Literature

#525 in the United States

#579 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $12,876
Enrollment: 5,734

23. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Literature

#545 in the United States

#599 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1292
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,225

24. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Literature

#557 in the United States

#613 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,366

25. North Central College

Naperville

For Literature

#608 in the United States

#666 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1183
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $23,276

26. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#653 in the United States

#712 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Net Price: $29,473
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,780

27. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Literature

#662 in the United States

#721 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

28. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#673 in the United States

#732 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $55,631
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,050

29. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Literature

#677 in the United States

#736 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $24,629

30. Rush University

Chicago

For Literature

#740 in the United States

#805 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,769
Male:Female: 21:79
Founded: 1972

31. Governors State University

University Park

For Literature

#760 in the United States

#826 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $11,455
Enrollment: 4,397

32. Catholic Theological Union at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#772 in the United States

#838 in North America

Enrollment: 210
Male:Female: 64:36
Founded: 1968

33. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#802 in the United States

#868 in North America

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

34. North Park University

Chicago

For Literature

#812 in the United States

#878 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $20,372
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,476

35. Millikin University

Decatur

For Literature

#825 in the United States

#893 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 995
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,813

36. National Louis University

Chicago

For Literature

#842 in the United States

#910 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $13,150
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $11,056

37. Dominican University

River Forest

For Literature

#846 in the United States

#914 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 990
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $13,402

38. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Literature

#889 in the United States

#960 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $18,959

39. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Literature

#892 in the United States

#963 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $17,768

40. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Evanston

For Literature

#904 in the United States

#975 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 313
Male:Female: 44:56

41. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Literature

#915 in the United States

#986 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

42. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Literature

#925 in the United States

#996 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $18,194
Enrollment: 2,238

43. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Literature

#943 in the United States

#1014 in North America

Enrollment: 125
Male:Female: 55:45

44. Chicago Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Literature

#945 in the United States

#1016 in North America

Enrollment: 215
Male:Female: 46:54

45. Trinity International University - Illinois

Deerfield

For Literature

#962 in the United States

#1033 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $2,835
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $13,680

46. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Literature

#963 in the United States

#1034 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

47. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Literature

#966 in the United States

#1037 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $8,310
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $14,748

48. Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Lisle

For Literature

#991 in the United States

#1063 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 315
Male:Female: 58:42

Closest to Illinois states to learn Literature

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	23	21
Missouri	19	45
Iowa	12	37
Kentucky	17	78
Wisconsin	19	15
Tennessee	18	46
Ohio	39	13
Michigan	26	5
Arkansas	10	108
West Virginia	3	134
Minnesota	22	22
Mississippi	8	178
Kansas	8	64
Alabama	15	90
Virginia	32	26
Georgia	29	42
North Carolina	29	24
Oklahoma	9	95
Nebraska	7	93
South Carolina	15	72
Pennsylvania	68	16
South Dakota	5	369
District of Columbia	9	51
Louisiana	17	56
Maryland	20	20
New York	101	3
New Jersey	20	19
North Dakota	2	216
Connecticut	15	7
Texas	57	8
Vermont	5	143
Colorado	17	41
Massachusetts	48	4
Rhode Island	7	63
Florida	28	38
New Hampshire	8	94
New Mexico	4	102
Maine	7	188
Utah	6	52
Arizona	6	28
Idaho	3	218
Oregon	13	74
Washington	17	10
California	85	1
Puerto Rico	3	589
Hawaii	5	107

Closest to Illinois states to learn Literature

Art & Design subfields in Illinois