56 Best colleges for Paleontology 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 Paleontology. A graph of 6.32M citations received by 142K academic papers made by 56 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: 44%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 61%

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#26 in the United States

#29 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Paleontology

#35 in the United States

#39 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#58 in the United States

#66 in North America

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

5. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Paleontology

#157 in the United States

#181 in North America

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

6. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#170 in the United States

#197 in North America

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

7. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Paleontology

#191 in the United States

#219 in North America

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

8. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Paleontology

#194 in the United States

#222 in North America

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

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Paleontology

#206 in the United States

#236 in North America

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

10. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Paleontology

#248 in the United States

#283 in North America

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

11. DePaul University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#255 in the United States

#290 in North America

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

12. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Paleontology

#302 in the United States

#345 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 32:68

13. Rush University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#345 in the United States

#393 in North America

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

14. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Paleontology

#356 in the United States

#404 in North America

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

15. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Paleontology

#379 in the United States

#428 in North America

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

16. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Paleontology

#384 in the United States

#434 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $20,319
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $12,832

17. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Paleontology

#398 in the United States

#449 in North America

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

18. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Paleontology

#404 in the United States

#455 in North America

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

19. North Central College

Naperville

For Paleontology

#425 in the United States

#476 in North America

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

20. Bradley University

Peoria

For Paleontology

#509 in the United States

#561 in North America

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

21. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#520 in the United States

#572 in North America

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

22. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Paleontology

#563 in the United States

#616 in North America

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

23. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#588 in the United States

#642 in North America

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

24. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#599 in the United States

#653 in North America

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

25. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Paleontology

#629 in the United States

#687 in North America

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

26. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Paleontology

#638 in the United States

#696 in North America

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

27. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#686 in the United States

#745 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 38
Male:Female: 73:27

28. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Paleontology

#742 in the United States

#804 in North America

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

29. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#772 in the United States

#835 in North America

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

30. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Paleontology

#804 in the United States

#870 in North America

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

31. Governors State University

University Park

For Paleontology

#809 in the United States

#875 in North America

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

32. Knox College

Galesburg

For Paleontology

#874 in the United States

#941 in North America

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

33. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Paleontology

#875 in the United States

#942 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 483
Male:Female: 26:74
Founded: 1872

34. Rockford University

Rockford

For Paleontology

#892 in the United States

#959 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $24,098

35. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#907 in the United States

#974 in North America

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

36. Dominican University

River Forest

For Paleontology

#931 in the United States

#998 in North America

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

37. Millikin University

Decatur

For Paleontology

#959 in the United States

#1027 in North America

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

38. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Paleontology

#965 in the United States

#1033 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $24,570
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $21,484

39. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Paleontology

#973 in the United States

#1042 in North America

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

40. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Paleontology

#1009 in the United States

#1080 in North America

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

41. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1034 in the United States

#1106 in North America

Enrollment: 368
Male:Female: 2:98

42. National Louis University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1054 in the United States

#1127 in North America

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

43. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Paleontology

#1063 in the United States

#1136 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Net Price: $21,349
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $15,613

44. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1070 in the United States

#1143 in North America

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

45. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1083 in the United States

#1156 in North America

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

46. Greenville University

Greenville

For Paleontology

#1087 in the United States

#1160 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1015
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $21,442

47. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Paleontology

#1095 in the United States

#1168 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 513
Male:Female: 38:62
Founded: 1906

48. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1115 in the United States

#1189 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: 64%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $16,455

50. Aurora University

Aurora

For Paleontology

#1164 in the United States

#1239 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1032
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,220

51. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Paleontology

#1179 in the United States

#1255 in North America

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

52. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1200 in the United States

#1277 in North America

Enrollment: 114
Male:Female: 44:56

53. Quincy University

Quincy

For Paleontology

#1204 in the United States

#1281 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1160
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $17,424

54. North Park University

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1230 in the United States

#1307 in North America

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

55. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1231 in the United States

#1308 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $31,063

56. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Paleontology

#1257 in the United States

#1335 in North America

Enrollment: 133
Male:Female: 63:37

Closest to Illinois states to learn Paleontology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	27	41
Missouri	27	24
Iowa	18	42
Kentucky	19	63
Wisconsin	27	7
Tennessee	27	55
Ohio	49	20
Michigan	28	5
Arkansas	15	122
West Virginia	15	115
Minnesota	24	11
Mississippi	10	134
Kansas	11	78
Alabama	22	80
Virginia	37	47
Georgia	33	31
North Carolina	32	25
Oklahoma	14	82
Nebraska	12	83
South Carolina	23	95
Pennsylvania	84	17
South Dakota	8	214
District of Columbia	8	109
Louisiana	20	60
Maryland	24	14
New York	112	6
New Jersey	21	28
North Dakota	5	186
Connecticut	20	13
Texas	63	18
Vermont	6	113
Colorado	18	39
Massachusetts	60	1
Rhode Island	8	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	6	108
Oregon	16	45
Washington	24	3
California	104	2
Puerto Rico	12	303
Alaska	4	110
Hawaii	6	96

Closest to Illinois states to learn Paleontology

Biology subfields in Illinois