57 Best colleges for Paleontology 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 Paleontology. A graph of 6.56M citations received by 144K academic papers made by 57 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. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Paleontology

#12 in the United States

#14 in North America

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

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#27 in the United States

#30 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Paleontology

#35 in the United States

#39 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#58 in the United States

#66 in North America

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

5. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Paleontology

#159 in the United States

#184 in North America

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

6. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#170 in the United States

#197 in North America

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

7. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Paleontology

#192 in the United States

#220 in North America

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

8. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Paleontology

#194 in the United States

#222 in North America

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

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Paleontology

#207 in the United States

#237 in North America

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

10. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Paleontology

#249 in the United States

#284 in North America

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

11. DePaul University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#254 in the United States

#289 in North America

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

12. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Paleontology

#300 in the United States

#343 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

13. Rush University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#343 in the United States

#391 in North America

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

14. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Paleontology

#357 in the United States

#405 in North America

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

15. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Paleontology

#381 in the United States

#431 in North America

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

16. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Paleontology

#386 in the United States

#436 in North America

Net Price: $30,212
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $3,499
Enrollment: 263

17. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Paleontology

#398 in the United States

#449 in North America

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

18. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Paleontology

#403 in the United States

#454 in North America

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

19. North Central College

Naperville

For Paleontology

#425 in the United States

#476 in North America

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

20. Bradley University

Peoria

For Paleontology

#512 in the United States

#564 in North America

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

21. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#522 in the United States

#574 in North America

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

22. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Paleontology

#565 in the United States

#619 in North America

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

23. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#589 in the United States

#643 in North America

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

24. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#601 in the United States

#655 in North America

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

25. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Paleontology

#625 in the United States

#683 in North America

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

26. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Paleontology

#642 in the United States

#700 in North America

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

27. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#690 in the United States

#750 in North America

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

28. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Paleontology

#748 in the United States

#811 in North America

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

29. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#778 in the United States

#843 in North America

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

30. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Paleontology

#801 in the United States

#867 in North America

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

31. Governors State University

University Park

For Paleontology

#811 in the United States

#878 in North America

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

32. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Paleontology

#875 in the United States

#942 in North America

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

33. Knox College

Galesburg

For Paleontology

#878 in the United States

#945 in North America

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

34. Rockford University

Rockford

For Paleontology

#888 in the United States

#955 in North America

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

35. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#919 in the United States

#986 in North America

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

36. Dominican University

River Forest

For Paleontology

#930 in the United States

#997 in North America

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

37. Millikin University

Decatur

For Paleontology

#960 in the United States

#1028 in North America

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

38. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Paleontology

#963 in the United States

#1031 in North America

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

39. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Paleontology

#968 in the United States

#1037 in North America

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

40. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Paleontology

#1009 in the United States

#1080 in North America

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

41. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1039 in the United States

#1111 in North America

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

42. National Louis University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1058 in the United States

#1131 in North America

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

43. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Paleontology

#1071 in the United States

#1144 in North America

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

44. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1075 in the United States

#1148 in North America

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

45. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1086 in the United States

#1159 in North America

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

46. Greenville University

Greenville

For Paleontology

#1087 in the United States

#1160 in North America

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

47. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Paleontology

#1101 in the United States

#1175 in North America

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

48. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1123 in the United States

#1198 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

49. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Paleontology

#1136 in the United States

#1211 in North America

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

50. Aurora University

Aurora

For Paleontology

#1166 in the United States

#1241 in North America

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

51. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Paleontology

#1185 in the United States

#1261 in North America

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

52. Adler University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1187 in the United States

#1263 in North America

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

53. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1208 in the United States

#1285 in North America

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

54. Quincy University

Quincy

For Paleontology

#1213 in the United States

#1290 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,477

55. North Park University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1237 in the United States

#1314 in North America

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

56. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1238 in the United States

#1315 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 865
Average ACT: 15
Net Price: $30,889

57. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1266 in the United States

#1344 in North America

Enrollment: 125
Male:Female: 55:45

Closest to Illinois states to learn Paleontology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	27	41
Missouri	28	24
Iowa	18	42
Kentucky	20	63
Wisconsin	27	7
Tennessee	27	55
Ohio	49	20
Michigan	28	6
Arkansas	15	121
West Virginia	15	115
Minnesota	24	11
Mississippi	10	133
Kansas	11	78
Alabama	22	80
Virginia	37	47
Georgia	33	30
North Carolina	32	25
Oklahoma	15	82
Nebraska	12	84
South Carolina	23	95
Pennsylvania	85	17
South Dakota	8	214
District of Columbia	8	109
Louisiana	20	60
Maryland	24	14
New York	113	5
New Jersey	21	28
North Dakota	5	186
Connecticut	20	13
Texas	63	18
Vermont	6	114
Colorado	18	39
Massachusetts	60	1
Rhode Island	9	57
Florida	40	15
New Hampshire	11	88
New Mexico	6	79
Maine	12	140
Montana	6	85
Utah	9	34
Arizona	7	22
Idaho	6	130
Nevada	7	108
Oregon	16	45
Washington	24	3
California	104	2
Puerto Rico	13	302
Alaska	4	110
Hawaii	6	96

Closest to Illinois states to learn Paleontology

Biology subfields in Illinois