46 Best Materials Science schools 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 Materials Science. A graph of 9.79M citations received by 227K academic papers made by 46 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 Materials Science

#6 in the United States

#6 in North America

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

2. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Materials Science

#9 in the United States

#9 in North America

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

3. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#42 in the United States

#47 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#68 in the United States

#76 in North America

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Materials Science

#137 in the United States

#160 in North America

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

6. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Materials Science

#177 in the United States

#205 in North America

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

7. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Materials Science

#192 in the United States

#220 in North America

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

8. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#210 in the United States

#242 in North America

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

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Materials Science

#269 in the United States

#306 in North America

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

10. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Materials Science

#291 in the United States

#330 in North America

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

11. DePaul University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#312 in the United States

#352 in North America

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

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Materials Science

#318 in the United States

#361 in North America

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

13. Rush University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#355 in the United States

#400 in North America

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

14. Bradley University

Peoria

For Materials Science

#364 in the United States

#410 in North America

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

15. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Materials Science

#368 in the United States

#414 in North America

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

16. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Materials Science

#402 in the United States

#451 in North America

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

17. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Materials Science

#411 in the United States

#460 in North America

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

18. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Materials Science

#444 in the United States

#497 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 32:68

19. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#445 in the United States

#498 in North America

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

20. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Materials Science

#446 in the United States

#499 in North America

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

21. North Central College

Naperville

For Materials Science

#480 in the United States

#534 in North America

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

22. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Materials Science

#485 in the United States

#539 in North America

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

23. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#554 in the United States

#608 in North America

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

24. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Materials Science

#592 in the United States

#647 in North America

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

25. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#651 in the United States

#708 in North America

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

26. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#668 in the United States

#725 in North America

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

27. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Materials Science

#693 in the United States

#750 in North America

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

28. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#722 in the United States

#780 in North America

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

29. Greenville University

Greenville

For Materials Science

#761 in the United States

#823 in North America

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

30. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Materials Science

#775 in the United States

#837 in North America

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

31. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#783 in the United States

#845 in North America

Enrollment: 114
Male:Female: 44:56

32. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#785 in the United States

#847 in North America

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

33. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Materials Science

#786 in the United States

#848 in North America

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

34. Knox College

Galesburg

For Materials Science

#821 in the United States

#883 in North America

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

35. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Materials Science

#846 in the United States

#911 in North America

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

36. Dominican University

River Forest

For Materials Science

#921 in the United States

#988 in North America

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

37. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Materials Science

#924 in the United States

#991 in North America

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

38. Governors State University

University Park

For Materials Science

#963 in the United States

#1030 in North America

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

39. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Materials Science

#977 in the United States

#1044 in North America

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

40. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Materials Science

#992 in the United States

#1060 in North America

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

41. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Materials Science

#1008 in the United States

#1078 in North America

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

42. Rockford University

Rockford

For Materials Science

#1012 in the United States

#1082 in North America

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

43. Kendall College

Chicago

For Materials Science

#1035 in the United States

#1108 in North America

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

44. Millikin University

Decatur

For Materials Science

#1063 in the United States

#1136 in North America

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

45. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Materials Science

#1064 in the United States

#1137 in North America

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

46. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Materials Science

#1115 in the United States

#1188 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Materials Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	27	13
Missouri	22	55
Iowa	11	32
Kentucky	15	65
Wisconsin	25	16
Tennessee	28	50
Ohio	43	21
Michigan	29	5
Arkansas	14	107
West Virginia	11	106
Minnesota	21	17
Mississippi	11	126
Kansas	12	91
Alabama	20	93
Virginia	30	35
Georgia	27	7
North Carolina	27	25
Oklahoma	15	95
Nebraska	8	75
South Carolina	20	73
Pennsylvania	79	8
South Dakota	8	225
District of Columbia	8	131
Louisiana	21	78
Maryland	23	27
New York	102	11
New Jersey	21	22
North Dakota	5	135
Connecticut	19	30
Texas	63	10
Vermont	4	130
Colorado	15	39
Massachusetts	51	1
Rhode Island	8	58
Florida	39	24
New Hampshire	8	104
New Mexico	8	81
Maine	9	166
Montana	3	153
Utah	8	40
Arizona	6	36
Idaho	5	152
Nevada	4	121
Oregon	15	80
Washington	20	15
California	86	2
Puerto Rico	12	247
Alaska	3	198
Hawaii	4	147