46 Best Materials Science 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 Materials Science. A graph of 10.2M citations received by 230K 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: 42%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

2. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Materials Science

#9 in the United States

#9 in North America

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

3. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#42 in the United States

#47 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#69 in the United States

#77 in North America

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Materials Science

#137 in the United States

#161 in North America

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

6. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Materials Science

#177 in the United States

#205 in North America

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

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: $14,387
Enrollment: 15,414

8. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#210 in the United States

#243 in North America

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

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Materials Science

#273 in the United States

#311 in North America

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

10. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Materials Science

#297 in the United States

#336 in North America

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

11. DePaul University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#313 in the United States

#353 in North America

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

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Materials Science

#318 in the United States

#361 in North America

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

13. Rush University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#356 in the United States

#402 in North America

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

14. Bradley University

Peoria

For Materials Science

#362 in the United States

#408 in North America

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

15. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Materials Science

#371 in the United States

#418 in North America

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

16. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Materials Science

#409 in the United States

#459 in North America

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

17. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Materials Science

#413 in the United States

#463 in North America

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

18. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Materials Science

#441 in the United States

#494 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

19. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Materials Science

#444 in the United States

#497 in North America

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

20. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#445 in the United States

#498 in North America

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

21. North Central College

Naperville

For Materials Science

#478 in the United States

#532 in North America

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

22. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Materials Science

#485 in the United States

#539 in North America

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

23. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#554 in the United States

#608 in North America

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

24. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Materials Science

#603 in the United States

#660 in North America

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

25. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#647 in the United States

#704 in North America

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

26. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#670 in the United States

#727 in North America

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

27. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Materials Science

#698 in the United States

#755 in North America

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

28. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#727 in the United States

#787 in North America

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

29. Greenville University

Greenville

For Materials Science

#766 in the United States

#828 in North America

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

30. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Materials Science

#773 in the United States

#835 in North America

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

31. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Materials Science

#785 in the United States

#847 in North America

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

32. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Materials Science

#788 in the United States

#850 in North America

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

33. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Materials Science

#793 in the United States

#855 in North America

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

34. Knox College

Galesburg

For Materials Science

#823 in the United States

#886 in North America

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

35. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Materials Science

#841 in the United States

#906 in North America

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

36. Dominican University

River Forest

For Materials Science

#902 in the United States

#968 in North America

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

37. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Materials Science

#929 in the United States

#996 in North America

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

38. Governors State University

University Park

For Materials Science

#964 in the United States

#1032 in North America

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

39. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Materials Science

#991 in the United States

#1061 in North America

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

40. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Materials Science

#1013 in the United States

#1084 in North America

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

41. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Materials Science

#1018 in the United States

#1089 in North America

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

42. Rockford University

Rockford

For Materials Science

#1021 in the United States

#1093 in North America

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

43. Kendall College

Chicago

For Materials Science

#1039 in the United States

#1112 in North America

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

44. Millikin University

Decatur

For Materials Science

#1070 in the United States

#1144 in North America

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

45. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Materials Science

#1072 in the United States

#1146 in North America

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

46. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Materials Science

#1122 in the United States

#1197 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Materials Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	28	13
Missouri	23	55
Iowa	11	32
Kentucky	15	67
Wisconsin	25	16
Tennessee	28	50
Ohio	44	21
Michigan	29	5
Arkansas	14	107
West Virginia	11	106
Minnesota	21	17
Mississippi	11	125
Kansas	12	92
Alabama	20	91
Virginia	30	34
Georgia	27	7
North Carolina	27	25
Oklahoma	15	95
Nebraska	8	75
South Carolina	20	71
Pennsylvania	79	8
South Dakota	8	224
District of Columbia	8	133
Louisiana	21	79
Maryland	23	27
New York	102	11
New Jersey	21	23
North Dakota	5	134
Connecticut	19	30
Texas	63	10
Vermont	4	131
Colorado	16	39
Massachusetts	53	1
Rhode Island	8	58
Florida	39	24
New Hampshire	8	103
New Mexico	8	81
Maine	10	165
Montana	3	153
Utah	8	41
Arizona	6	36
Idaho	5	151
Nevada	4	120
Oregon	15	80
Washington	20	14
California	87	2
Puerto Rico	12	247
Alaska	3	198
Hawaii	4	147