60 Best Business schools 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 Business. A graph of 7.92M citations received by 185K academic papers made by 60 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 Business

#8 in the United States

#9 in North America

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

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Business

#11 in the United States

#12 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Business

#35 in the United States

#37 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Business

#49 in the United States

#57 in North America

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Business

#135 in the United States

#159 in North America

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

6. DePaul University

Chicago

For Business

#137 in the United States

#161 in North America

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

7. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Business

#144 in the United States

#168 in North America

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

8. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Business

#152 in the United States

#177 in North America

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

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Business

#171 in the United States

#198 in North America

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

10. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Business

#179 in the United States

#208 in North America

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

11. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Business

#254 in the United States

#287 in North America

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

12. Bradley University

Peoria

For Business

#319 in the United States

#358 in North America

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

13. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Business

#349 in the United States

#389 in North America

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

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Business

#372 in the United States

#413 in North America

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

15. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Business

#376 in the United States

#418 in North America

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

16. Rush University

Chicago

For Business

#451 in the United States

#499 in North America

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

17. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Business

#481 in the United States

#530 in North America

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

18. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Business

#484 in the United States

#533 in North America

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

19. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Business

#502 in the United States

#551 in North America

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

20. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Business

#505 in the United States

#554 in North America

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

21. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Business

#513 in the United States

#563 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

22. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Business

#586 in the United States

#644 in North America

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

23. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Business

#625 in the United States

#685 in North America

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

24. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Business

#646 in the United States

#707 in North America

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

25. North Central College

Naperville

For Business

#647 in the United States

#708 in North America

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

26. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Business

#682 in the United States

#743 in North America

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

27. Governors State University

University Park

For Business

#687 in the United States

#749 in North America

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

28. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Business

#746 in the United States

#810 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

29. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Business

#767 in the United States

#833 in North America

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

30. Knox College

Galesburg

For Business

#771 in the United States

#837 in North America

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

31. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Business

#781 in the United States

#848 in North America

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

32. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Business

#789 in the United States

#856 in North America

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

33. Dominican University

River Forest

For Business

#864 in the United States

#934 in North America

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

34. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Business

#922 in the United States

#996 in North America

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

35. National Louis University

Chicago

For Business

#923 in the United States

#997 in North America

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

36. Millikin University

Decatur

For Business

#994 in the United States

#1069 in North America

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

37. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Business

#997 in the United States

#1072 in North America

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

38. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Business

#1000 in the United States

#1075 in North America

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

39. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Business

#1003 in the United States

#1078 in North America

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

40. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Business

#1011 in the United States

#1086 in North America

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

41. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Business

#1028 in the United States

#1103 in North America

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

42. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Business

#1030 in the United States

#1105 in North America

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

43. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Business

#1035 in the United States

#1110 in North America

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

44. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Business

#1038 in the United States

#1113 in North America

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

45. Aurora University

Aurora

For Business

#1048 in the United States

#1123 in North America

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

46. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Business

#1049 in the United States

#1124 in North America

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

47. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Business

#1062 in the United States

#1137 in North America

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

48. Rockford University

Rockford

For Business

#1079 in the United States

#1154 in North America

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

49. Greenville University

Greenville

For Business

#1180 in the United States

#1257 in North America

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

50. McKendree University

Lebanon

For Business

#1194 in the United States

#1271 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Net Price: $22,444
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $26,102

51. American InterContinental University

Schaumburg

For Business

#1217 in the United States

#1294 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,726
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $7,671

52. North Park University

Chicago

For Business

#1239 in the United States

#1317 in North America

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

53. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Business

#1259 in the United States

#1337 in North America

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

54. Adler University

Chicago

For Business

#1289 in the United States

#1367 in North America

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

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

Chicago

For Business

#1294 in the United States

#1372 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 41:59

56. Quincy University

Quincy

For Business

#1299 in the United States

#1377 in North America

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

57. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Business

#1300 in the United States

#1378 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,281

58. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Business

#1305 in the United States

#1384 in North America

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

59. Kendall College

Chicago

For Business

#1333 in the United States

#1414 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Net Price: $30,324
Receiving Aid: 69%
Average Aid: $7,984

60. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Business

#1387 in the United States

#1470 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Business

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	30	30
Missouri	32	42
Iowa	24	44
Kentucky	24	68
Wisconsin	31	18
Tennessee	29	50
Ohio	54	21
Michigan	34	2
Arkansas	16	111
West Virginia	14	112
Minnesota	26	17
Mississippi	12	130
Kansas	11	88
Alabama	23	89
Virginia	40	36
Georgia	39	29
North Carolina	37	32
Oklahoma	16	92
Nebraska	11	81
South Carolina	24	58
Pennsylvania	97	6
South Dakota	8	357
District of Columbia	9	52
Louisiana	23	80
Maryland	26	15
Delaware	3	84
New York	123	7
New Jersey	25	28
North Dakota	6	200
Connecticut	20	20
Texas	72	16
Vermont	8	140
Colorado	19	55
Massachusetts	64	4
Rhode Island	9	94
Florida	48	27
New Hampshire	11	65
New Mexico	7	113
Maine	10	235
Montana	5	215
Utah	10	57
Arizona	8	24
Idaho	7	204
Nevada	6	119
Oregon	17	98
Washington	26	9
California	110	1
Puerto Rico	11	490
Alaska	4	328
Hawaii	6	123

Closest to Illinois states to learn Business

Business subfields in Illinois