51 Best colleges for Neuroscience 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 Neuroscience. A graph of 6.49M citations received by 136K academic papers made by 51 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.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Neuroscience

#18 in the United States

#20 in North America

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

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#33 in the United States

#36 in North America

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

3. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Neuroscience

#38 in the United States

#41 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#47 in the United States

#52 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#123 in the United States

#141 in North America

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

6. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Neuroscience

#149 in the United States

#171 in North America

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

7. Rush University

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#172 in the United States

#197 in North America

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

8. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Neuroscience

#181 in the United States

#206 in North America

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

9. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Neuroscience

#191 in the United States

#216 in North America

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

10. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Neuroscience

#215 in the United States

#243 in North America

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

11. Illinois State University

Normal

For Neuroscience

#218 in the United States

#246 in North America

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

12. DePaul University

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#245 in the United States

#275 in North America

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

13. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Neuroscience

#272 in the United States

#304 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

14. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#275 in the United States

#307 in North America

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

15. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Neuroscience

#358 in the United States

#398 in North America

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

16. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Neuroscience

#394 in the United States

#437 in North America

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

17. Bradley University

Peoria

For Neuroscience

#396 in the United States

#439 in North America

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

18. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Neuroscience

#423 in the United States

#466 in North America

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

19. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Neuroscience

#470 in the United States

#516 in North America

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

20. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#505 in the United States

#554 in North America

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

21. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Neuroscience

#538 in the United States

#590 in North America

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

22. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#554 in the United States

#606 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 474
Male:Female: 26:74
Founded: 1872

23. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Neuroscience

#576 in the United States

#629 in North America

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

24. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#596 in the United States

#649 in North America

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

25. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#599 in the United States

#652 in North America

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

26. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Neuroscience

#632 in the United States

#687 in North America

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

27. Governors State University

University Park

For Neuroscience

#755 in the United States

#813 in North America

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

28. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Neuroscience

#774 in the United States

#832 in North America

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

29. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#796 in the United States

#857 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 39
Male:Female: 76:24

30. North Central College

Naperville

For Neuroscience

#800 in the United States

#861 in North America

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

31. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Neuroscience

#827 in the United States

#889 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 511
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1906

32. Rockford University

Rockford

For Neuroscience

#837 in the United States

#899 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $23,642

33. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#840 in the United States

#903 in North America

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

34. Knox College

Galesburg

For Neuroscience

#842 in the United States

#905 in North America

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

35. Adler University

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#911 in the United States

#978 in North America

Enrollment: 1,631
Male:Female: 19:81
Founded: 1952

36. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Neuroscience

#934 in the United States

#1001 in North America

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

37. National Louis University

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#937 in the United States

#1005 in North America

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

38. Dominican University

River Forest

For Neuroscience

#943 in the United States

#1011 in North America

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

39. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Neuroscience

#973 in the United States

#1041 in North America

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

40. Millikin University

Decatur

For Neuroscience

#980 in the United States

#1048 in North America

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

41. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Neuroscience

#988 in the United States

#1056 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Net Price: $18,460
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,456

42. Bexley Hall Seabury Western Theological Seminary Federation, Inc.

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#1000 in the United States

#1068 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 41:59

43. Aurora University

Aurora

For Neuroscience

#1002 in the United States

#1070 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $19,053

44. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#1011 in the United States

#1079 in North America

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

45. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#1013 in the United States

#1081 in North America

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

46. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Neuroscience

#1017 in the United States

#1085 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $14,045

47. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Neuroscience

#1022 in the United States

#1090 in North America

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

48. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Neuroscience

#1071 in the United States

#1142 in North America

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

49. Greenville University

Greenville

For Neuroscience

#1091 in the United States

#1163 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1001
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,799

50. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Neuroscience

#1128 in the United States

#1201 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $19,073
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $26,361

51. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Neuroscience

#1132 in the United States

#1205 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $23,139
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,911

Closest to Illinois states to learn Neuroscience

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	25	55
Missouri	25	13
Iowa	14	27
Kentucky	19	53
Wisconsin	25	16
Tennessee	26	39
Ohio	44	34
Michigan	23	8
Arkansas	11	112
West Virginia	11	108
Minnesota	24	21
Mississippi	9	134
Kansas	10	98
Alabama	21	51
Virginia	31	42
Georgia	31	17
North Carolina	31	23
Oklahoma	13	124
Nebraska	8	111
South Carolina	20	63
Pennsylvania	75	6
South Dakota	7	221
District of Columbia	8	68
Louisiana	18	92
Maryland	23	2
New York	105	10
New Jersey	21	30
North Dakota	4	188
Connecticut	19	4
Texas	59	29
Vermont	5	106
Colorado	17	66
Massachusetts	55	1
Rhode Island	9	52
Florida	34	26
New Hampshire	11	80
New Mexico	5	87
Maine	9	251
Montana	3	214
Utah	7	44
Arizona	7	48
Idaho	4	264
Nevada	4	140
Oregon	16	40
Washington	19	11
California	97	3
Puerto Rico	12	346
Hawaii	5	157

Closest to Illinois states to learn Neuroscience

Biology subfields in Illinois