61 Best colleges for Chemistry 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 Chemistry. A graph of 25M citations received by 548K academic papers made by 61 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 Chemistry

#17 in the United States

#18 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 61%

2. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Chemistry

#21 in the United States

#22 in North America

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

3. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#27 in the United States

#29 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#57 in the United States

#61 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#168 in the United States

#192 in North America

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

6. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Chemistry

#192 in the United States

#219 in North America

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

7. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Chemistry

#195 in the United States

#222 in North America

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

8. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Chemistry

#198 in the United States

#225 in North America

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

9. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Chemistry

#223 in the United States

#251 in North America

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

10. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Chemistry

#245 in the United States

#275 in North America

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

11. Illinois State University

Normal

For Chemistry

#259 in the United States

#293 in North America

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

12. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Chemistry

#287 in the United States

#327 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 32:68

13. Rush University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#297 in the United States

#337 in North America

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

14. DePaul University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#351 in the United States

#394 in North America

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

15. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Chemistry

#365 in the United States

#411 in North America

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

16. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Chemistry

#447 in the United States

#497 in North America

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

17. Bradley University

Peoria

For Chemistry

#475 in the United States

#526 in North America

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

18. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Chemistry

#477 in the United States

#528 in North America

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

19. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Chemistry

#499 in the United States

#550 in North America

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

20. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#506 in the United States

#557 in North America

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

21. North Central College

Naperville

For Chemistry

#517 in the United States

#569 in North America

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

22. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#527 in the United States

#580 in North America

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

23. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#531 in the United States

#584 in North America

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

24. Greenville University

Greenville

For Chemistry

#551 in the United States

#604 in North America

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

25. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Chemistry

#575 in the United States

#628 in North America

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

26. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#612 in the United States

#667 in North America

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

27. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#668 in the United States

#724 in North America

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

28. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Chemistry

#676 in the United States

#732 in North America

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

29. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Chemistry

#695 in the United States

#751 in North America

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

30. Knox College

Galesburg

For Chemistry

#734 in the United States

#792 in North America

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

31. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#770 in the United States

#829 in North America

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

32. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Chemistry

#772 in the United States

#831 in North America

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

33. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Chemistry

#831 in the United States

#895 in North America

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

34. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Chemistry

#849 in the United States

#913 in North America

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

35. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Chemistry

#872 in the United States

#937 in North America

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

36. Rockford University

Rockford

For Chemistry

#912 in the United States

#977 in North America

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

37. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Chemistry

#933 in the United States

#998 in North America

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

38. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Chemistry

#938 in the United States

#1003 in North America

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

39. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Chemistry

#959 in the United States

#1025 in North America

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

40. Dominican University

River Forest

For Chemistry

#982 in the United States

#1049 in North America

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

41. Governors State University

University Park

For Chemistry

#1018 in the United States

#1086 in North America

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

42. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1033 in the United States

#1101 in North America

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

43. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Chemistry

#1053 in the United States

#1121 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $16,455

44. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1058 in the United States

#1126 in North America

Enrollment: 114
Male:Female: 44:56

45. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1084 in the United States

#1152 in North America

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

46. Millikin University

Decatur

For Chemistry

#1097 in the United States

#1165 in North America

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

47. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Chemistry

#1127 in the United States

#1196 in North America

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

48. Kendall College

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1160 in the United States

#1231 in North America

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

49. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1260 in the United States

#1334 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

50. Aurora University

Aurora

For Chemistry

#1262 in the United States

#1336 in North America

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

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

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1276 in the United States

#1351 in North America

Enrollment: 76
Male:Female: 47:53

52. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Chemistry

#1297 in the United States

#1373 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $22,707

53. Eureka College

Eureka

For Chemistry

#1329 in the United States

#1407 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Net Price: $20,215
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $18,303

54. Principia College

Elsah

For Chemistry

#1347 in the United States

#1426 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $14,904

55. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1359 in the United States

#1438 in North America

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

56. North Park University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1369 in the United States

#1448 in North America

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

57. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1377 in the United States

#1456 in North America

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

58. National Louis University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1406 in the United States

#1487 in North America

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

59. Quincy University

Quincy

For Chemistry

#1427 in the United States

#1508 in North America

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

60. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1430 in the United States

#1511 in North America

Enrollment: 133
Male:Female: 63:37

61. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Chemistry

#1438 in the United States

#1519 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $17,767
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,680

Closest to Illinois states to learn Chemistry

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	31	28
Missouri	33	20
Iowa	25	51
Kentucky	23	62
Wisconsin	28	14
Tennessee	31	45
Ohio	55	23
Michigan	33	5
Arkansas	17	127
West Virginia	20	121
Minnesota	27	15
Mississippi	14	151
Kansas	13	102
Alabama	26	58
Virginia	41	47
Georgia	40	39
North Carolina	38	19
Oklahoma	20	123
Nebraska	12	90
South Carolina	26	98
Pennsylvania	95	10
South Dakota	8	220
District of Columbia	8	97
Louisiana	23	83
Maryland	27	4
Delaware	3	89
New York	127	7
New Jersey	25	30
North Dakota	8	158
Connecticut	20	12
Texas	71	26
Vermont	9	122
Colorado	18	53
Massachusetts	61	1
Rhode Island	9	79
Florida	51	24
New Hampshire	12	99
New Mexico	9	94
Maine	13	187
Montana	7	141
Utah	10	38
Arizona	11	41
Idaho	7	154
Nevada	8	136
Oregon	18	80
Washington	28	8
California	118	2
Puerto Rico	14	290
Alaska	4	207
Hawaii	7	134