61 Best colleges for Chemistry 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 Chemistry. A graph of 26.1M citations received by 558K 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: 42%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

2. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Chemistry

#20 in the United States

#21 in North America

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

3. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#27 in the United States

#29 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#57 in the United States

#61 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#168 in the United States

#192 in North America

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

6. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Chemistry

#192 in the United States

#219 in North America

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

7. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Chemistry

#195 in the United States

#222 in North America

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

8. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Chemistry

#198 in the United States

#225 in North America

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

9. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Chemistry

#224 in the United States

#252 in North America

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

10. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Chemistry

#245 in the United States

#276 in North America

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

11. Illinois State University

Normal

For Chemistry

#260 in the United States

#294 in North America

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

12. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Chemistry

#286 in the United States

#326 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

13. Rush University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#297 in the United States

#337 in North America

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

14. DePaul University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#349 in the United States

#392 in North America

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

15. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Chemistry

#367 in the United States

#414 in North America

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

16. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Chemistry

#445 in the United States

#495 in North America

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

17. Bradley University

Peoria

For Chemistry

#474 in the United States

#525 in North America

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

18. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Chemistry

#477 in the United States

#528 in North America

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

19. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Chemistry

#504 in the United States

#555 in North America

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

20. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#508 in the United States

#559 in North America

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

21. North Central College

Naperville

For Chemistry

#519 in the United States

#571 in North America

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

22. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#527 in the United States

#580 in North America

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

23. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#537 in the United States

#590 in North America

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

24. Greenville University

Greenville

For Chemistry

#557 in the United States

#610 in North America

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

25. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Chemistry

#574 in the United States

#627 in North America

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

26. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#609 in the United States

#664 in North America

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

27. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#671 in the United States

#727 in North America

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

28. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Chemistry

#682 in the United States

#738 in North America

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

29. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Chemistry

#691 in the United States

#748 in North America

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

30. Knox College

Galesburg

For Chemistry

#745 in the United States

#804 in North America

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

31. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#776 in the United States

#836 in North America

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

32. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Chemistry

#778 in the United States

#838 in North America

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

33. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Chemistry

#830 in the United States

#894 in North America

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

34. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Chemistry

#844 in the United States

#908 in North America

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

35. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Chemistry

#879 in the United States

#944 in North America

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

36. Rockford University

Rockford

For Chemistry

#918 in the United States

#983 in North America

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

37. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Chemistry

#929 in the United States

#994 in North America

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

38. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Chemistry

#940 in the United States

#1005 in North America

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

39. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Chemistry

#972 in the United States

#1039 in North America

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

40. Dominican University

River Forest

For Chemistry

#973 in the United States

#1040 in North America

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

41. Governors State University

University Park

For Chemistry

#1023 in the United States

#1091 in North America

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

42. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1038 in the United States

#1106 in North America

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

43. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Chemistry

#1052 in the United States

#1120 in North America

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

44. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1065 in the United States

#1133 in North America

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

45. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1091 in the United States

#1159 in North America

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

46. Millikin University

Decatur

For Chemistry

#1100 in the United States

#1168 in North America

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

47. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Chemistry

#1115 in the United States

#1184 in North America

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

48. Kendall College

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1156 in the United States

#1227 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

#1255 in the United States

#1330 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

50. Aurora University

Aurora

For Chemistry

#1268 in the United States

#1344 in North America

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

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

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1289 in the United States

#1366 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 41:59

52. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Chemistry

#1310 in the United States

#1388 in North America

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

53. Eureka College

Eureka

For Chemistry

#1333 in the United States

#1411 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $19,128
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $20,489

54. Principia College

Elsah

For Chemistry

#1354 in the United States

#1433 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,248
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $30,402

55. North Park University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1356 in the United States

#1435 in North America

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

56. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1359 in the United States

#1438 in North America

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

57. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1380 in the United States

#1459 in North America

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

58. National Louis University

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1411 in the United States

#1492 in North America

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

59. Quincy University

Quincy

For Chemistry

#1427 in the United States

#1509 in North America

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

60. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Chemistry

#1428 in the United States

#1510 in North America

Enrollment: 125
Male:Female: 55:45

61. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Chemistry

#1438 in the United States

#1520 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Chemistry

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	31	28
Missouri	33	21
Iowa	27	51
Kentucky	23	62
Wisconsin	28	14
Tennessee	31	45
Ohio	55	23
Michigan	33	5
Arkansas	17	127
West Virginia	20	120
Minnesota	27	15
Mississippi	14	151
Kansas	13	102
Alabama	26	58
Virginia	41	48
Georgia	40	37
North Carolina	38	19
Oklahoma	20	121
Nebraska	13	90
South Carolina	26	98
Pennsylvania	95	10
South Dakota	8	219
District of Columbia	8	97
Louisiana	23	85
Maryland	27	4
Delaware	3	89
New York	129	7
New Jersey	25	30
North Dakota	9	158
Connecticut	20	12
Texas	71	26
Vermont	9	124
Colorado	18	54
Massachusetts	62	1
Rhode Island	9	79
Florida	51	24
New Hampshire	12	99
New Mexico	9	94
Maine	13	186
Montana	7	143
Utah	10	39
Arizona	11	41
Idaho	7	154
Nevada	8	136
Oregon	18	80
Washington	29	8
California	118	2
Puerto Rico	14	288
Alaska	4	207
Hawaii	7	133