54 Best colleges for Artificial Intelligence (AI) 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 Artificial Intelligence (AI). A graph of 6.78M citations received by 158K academic papers made by 54 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 Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#5 in the United States

#6 in North America

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

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#29 in the United States

#31 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#39 in the United States

#44 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#54 in the United States

#62 in North America

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#131 in the United States

#156 in North America

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

6. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#185 in the United States

#215 in North America

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

7. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#187 in the United States

#217 in North America

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

8. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#193 in the United States

#224 in North America

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

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#203 in the United States

#235 in North America

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

10. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#218 in the United States

#251 in North America

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

11. Illinois State University

Normal

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#225 in the United States

#258 in North America

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

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#245 in the United States

#280 in North America

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

13. Bradley University

Peoria

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#321 in the United States

#362 in North America

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

14. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#389 in the United States

#436 in North America

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

15. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#405 in the United States

#453 in North America

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

16. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#422 in the United States

#470 in North America

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

17. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#450 in the United States

#498 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 Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#466 in the United States

#516 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

19. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#473 in the United States

#523 in North America

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

20. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#490 in the United States

#541 in North America

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

21. Rush University

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#500 in the United States

#551 in North America

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

22. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#578 in the United States

#635 in North America

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

23. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#590 in the United States

#649 in North America

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

24. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#640 in the United States

#699 in North America

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

25. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#644 in the United States

#703 in North America

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

26. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#665 in the United States

#727 in North America

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

27. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#676 in the United States

#740 in North America

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

28. North Central College

Naperville

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#687 in the United States

#751 in North America

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

29. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#714 in the United States

#779 in North America

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

30. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#745 in the United States

#811 in North America

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

31. National Louis University

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#783 in the United States

#850 in North America

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

32. Knox College

Galesburg

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#787 in the United States

#854 in North America

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

33. Governors State University

University Park

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#802 in the United States

#869 in North America

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

34. Dominican University

River Forest

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#847 in the United States

#916 in North America

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

35. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#871 in the United States

#941 in North America

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

36. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#890 in the United States

#961 in North America

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

37. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#893 in the United States

#964 in North America

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

38. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#900 in the United States

#971 in North America

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

39. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#928 in the United States

#999 in North America

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

40. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#956 in the United States

#1028 in North America

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

41. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#981 in the United States

#1055 in North America

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

42. Millikin University

Decatur

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1000 in the United States

#1074 in North America

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

43. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1025 in the United States

#1100 in North America

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

44. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1027 in the United States

#1102 in North America

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

45. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1037 in the United States

#1112 in North America

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

46. Aurora University

Aurora

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1102 in the United States

#1177 in North America

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

47. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1132 in the United States

#1207 in North America

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

48. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1137 in the United States

#1212 in North America

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

49. Rockford University

Rockford

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1162 in the United States

#1238 in North America

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

50. Greenville University

Greenville

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1171 in the United States

#1247 in North America

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

51. American InterContinental University

Schaumburg

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1210 in the United States

#1288 in North America

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

52. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1212 in the United States

#1290 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

53. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1219 in the United States

#1297 in North America

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

54. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Evanston

For Artificial Intelligence (AI)

#1221 in the United States

#1299 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 313
Male:Female: 44:56

Closest to Illinois states to learn Artificial Intelligence (AI)

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	28	22
Missouri	27	45
Iowa	15	49
Kentucky	19	77
Wisconsin	25	14
Tennessee	28	53
Ohio	47	25
Michigan	27	6
Arkansas	14	144
West Virginia	12	110
Minnesota	24	24
Mississippi	13	127
Kansas	10	85
Alabama	19	112
Virginia	35	38
Georgia	36	11
North Carolina	32	34
Oklahoma	14	111
Nebraska	8	96
South Carolina	21	84
Pennsylvania	85	4
South Dakota	8	320
District of Columbia	8	86
Louisiana	20	88
Maryland	24	13
New York	113	10
New Jersey	22	18
North Dakota	5	177
Connecticut	20	26
Texas	64	16
Vermont	6	156
Colorado	17	44
Massachusetts	57	3
Rhode Island	9	55
Florida	38	33
New Hampshire	10	81
New Mexico	6	95
Maine	9	212
Montana	4	207
Utah	10	51
Arizona	7	27
Idaho	6	176
Nevada	4	147
Oregon	16	80
Washington	22	8
California	103	1
Puerto Rico	7	314
Alaska	3	264
Hawaii	5	143

Closest to Illinois states to learn Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Computer Science subfields in Illinois