45 Best colleges for Literature in Illinois

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Illinois ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 561K citations received by 31.8K academic papers made by 45 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

#10 in the United States

#11 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#16 in the United States

#17 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Literature

#33 in the United States

#37 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,095

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#58 in the United States

#68 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 81%

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#101 in the United States

#118 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $37,511

6. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Literature

#106 in the United States

#126 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1010
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $11,773

7. Illinois State University

Normal

For Literature

#137 in the United States

#160 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

8. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Literature

#139 in the United States

#162 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $12,552
Enrollment: 15,649

9. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Literature

#151 in the United States

#175 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1020
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 99%

10. DePaul University

Chicago

For Literature

#155 in the United States

#179 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $32,151

11. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Literature

#224 in the United States

#255 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $28,702

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Literature

#315 in the United States

#352 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 98%

13. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Literature

#327 in the United States

#364 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $29,961

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Literature

#334 in the United States

#372 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $15,632
Enrollment: 7,643

15. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Literature

#337 in the United States

#375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $30,096

16. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Literature

#400 in the United States

#443 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 1,940
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1912

17. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Literature

#445 in the United States

#492 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $11,302
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $29,886

18. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Literature

#454 in the United States

#502 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1043
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $16,296

19. Bradley University

Peoria

For Literature

#483 in the United States

#533 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $24,053

20. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Literature

#498 in the United States

#549 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1247
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $27,839

21. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Literature

#501 in the United States

#552 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $15,143
Enrollment: 5,756

22. Knox College

Galesburg

For Literature

#522 in the United States

#573 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $26,882

23. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Literature

#571 in the United States

#627 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $22,117

24. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Literature

#611 in the United States

#668 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,660

25. North Central College

Naperville

For Literature

#623 in the United States

#681 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $25,285

26. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Literature

#639 in the United States

#698 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1110
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $24,108

27. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#642 in the United States

#701 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $28,387
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $18,020

28. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#649 in the United States

#708 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Net Price: $53,923
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $18,290

29. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Literature

#712 in the United States

#774 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1104
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

30. Rush University

Chicago

For Literature

#718 in the United States

#780 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 2,870
Male:Female: 22:78
Founded: 1972

31. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#743 in the United States

#807 in North America

Enrollment: 133
Male:Female: 51:49

32. North Park University

Chicago

For Literature

#754 in the United States

#818 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $19,029
Receiving Aid: 100%

33. Governors State University

University Park

For Literature

#776 in the United States

#841 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 945
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $11,987

34. Millikin University

Decatur

For Literature

#779 in the United States

#844 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1065
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $10,492

35. National Louis University

Chicago

For Literature

#784 in the United States

#849 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Net Price: $14,769
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $9,641

36. Catholic Theological Union at Chicago

Chicago

For Literature

#815 in the United States

#881 in North America

Enrollment: 213
Male:Female: 62:38
Founded: 1968

37. Dominican University

River Forest

For Literature

#816 in the United States

#882 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1015
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $18,162

38. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Literature

#848 in the United States

#915 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1110
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $20,237

39. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Evanston

For Literature

#858 in the United States

#926 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 280
Male:Female: 46:54

40. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Literature

#886 in the United States

#955 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $15,891
Enrollment: 2,317

41. Chicago Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Literature

#889 in the United States

#958 in North America

Enrollment: 195
Male:Female: 37:63

42. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Literature

#902 in the United States

#971 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $19,184

43. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Literature

#933 in the United States

#1002 in North America

Enrollment: 162
Male:Female: 59:41

44. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Literature

#937 in the United States

#1006 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

45. Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Lisle

For Literature

#941 in the United States

#1010 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 374
Male:Female: 60:40

Closest to Illinois states to learn Literature

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	22	42
Missouri	18	48
Iowa	11	37
Kentucky	14	75
Wisconsin	19	13
Tennessee	18	46
Ohio	37	11
Michigan	24	4
Arkansas	9	116
Minnesota	21	21
Mississippi	7	178
Kansas	8	61
Alabama	14	97
Virginia	32	23
Georgia	26	38
North Carolina	28	27
Oklahoma	6	94
Nebraska	6	79
South Carolina	13	68
Pennsylvania	61	14
South Dakota	5	359
District of Columbia	9	60
Louisiana	15	52
Maryland	20	20
New York	94	2
New Jersey	20	18
North Dakota	3	220
Connecticut	15	9
Texas	54	7
Vermont	5	149
Colorado	15	47
Massachusetts	48	5
Rhode Island	7	71
Florida	29	34
New Hampshire	8	98
New Mexico	4	103
Maine	7	179
Utah	6	56
Arizona	5	24
Idaho	3	248
Oregon	12	41
Washington	17	12
California	83	1
Puerto Rico	2	525
Hawaii	4	133

Closest to Illinois states to learn Literature

Art & Design subfields in Illinois