53 Best colleges for Development Studies 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 Development Studies. A graph of 2.64M citations received by 76.6K academic papers made by 53 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 Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#10 in the United States

#11 in North America

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

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Development Studies

#22 in the United States

#24 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Development Studies

#24 in the United States

#26 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#37 in the United States

#42 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#119 in the United States

#138 in North America

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

6. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Development Studies

#154 in the United States

#175 in North America

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

7. Illinois State University

Normal

For Development Studies

#158 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

8. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Development Studies

#161 in the United States

#182 in North America

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

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#170 in the United States

#194 in North America

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

10. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Development Studies

#226 in the United States

#255 in North America

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

11. Rush University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#263 in the United States

#295 in North America

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

12. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Development Studies

#283 in the United States

#317 in North America

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

13. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Development Studies

#292 in the United States

#326 in North America

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

14. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Development Studies

#316 in the United States

#351 in North America

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

15. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Development Studies

#370 in the United States

#410 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

16. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Development Studies

#378 in the United States

#418 in North America

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

17. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Development Studies

#399 in the United States

#439 in North America

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

18. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Development Studies

#478 in the United States

#524 in North America

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

19. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Development Studies

#487 in the United States

#533 in North America

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

20. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#506 in the United States

#553 in North America

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

21. Bradley University

Peoria

For Development Studies

#510 in the United States

#557 in North America

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

22. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Development Studies

#518 in the United States

#565 in North America

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

23. National Louis University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#543 in the United States

#594 in North America

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

24. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#544 in the United States

#595 in North America

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

25. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#582 in the United States

#637 in North America

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

26. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#604 in the United States

#660 in North America

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

27. Governors State University

University Park

For Development Studies

#668 in the United States

#728 in North America

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

28. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Development Studies

#676 in the United States

#738 in North America

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

29. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Development Studies

#715 in the United States

#778 in North America

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

30. Dominican University

River Forest

For Development Studies

#740 in the United States

#804 in North America

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

31. North Central College

Naperville

For Development Studies

#807 in the United States

#876 in North America

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

32. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Development Studies

#827 in the United States

#896 in North America

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

33. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Development Studies

#869 in the United States

#938 in North America

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

34. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Development Studies

#880 in the United States

#949 in North America

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

35. Aurora University

Aurora

For Development Studies

#895 in the United States

#965 in North America

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

36. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Development Studies

#908 in the United States

#978 in North America

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

37. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Development Studies

#931 in the United States

#1001 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

38. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Development Studies

#950 in the United States

#1021 in North America

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

39. Knox College

Galesburg

For Development Studies

#984 in the United States

#1056 in North America

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

40. Millikin University

Decatur

For Development Studies

#991 in the United States

#1063 in North America

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

41. Rockford University

Rockford

For Development Studies

#994 in the United States

#1066 in North America

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

42. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#996 in the United States

#1069 in North America

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

43. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Development Studies

#1003 in the United States

#1076 in North America

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

44. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Development Studies

#1020 in the United States

#1093 in North America

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

45. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Development Studies

#1062 in the United States

#1136 in North America

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

46. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Development Studies

#1076 in the United States

#1150 in North America

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

47. North Park University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#1113 in the United States

#1189 in North America

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

48. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Development Studies

#1121 in the United States

#1197 in North America

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

49. Adler University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#1137 in the United States

#1213 in North America

Enrollment: 1,631
Male:Female: 19:81
Founded: 1952

50. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#1149 in the United States

#1225 in North America

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

51. Greenville University

Greenville

For Development Studies

#1156 in the United States

#1232 in North America

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

52. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Development Studies

#1162 in the United States

#1238 in North America

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

53. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Development Studies

#1170 in the United States

#1246 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Development Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	26	41
Missouri	25	47
Iowa	15	43
Kentucky	21	57
Wisconsin	27	15
Tennessee	24	38
Ohio	44	20
Michigan	25	2
Arkansas	13	141
West Virginia	9	101
Minnesota	24	13
Mississippi	10	181
Kansas	9	73
Alabama	19	67
Virginia	29	42
Georgia	34	35
North Carolina	33	9
Oklahoma	13	116
Nebraska	9	93
South Carolina	20	62
Pennsylvania	83	8
South Dakota	8	325
District of Columbia	9	40
Louisiana	21	92
Maryland	24	3
New York	110	6
New Jersey	21	26
North Dakota	5	232
Connecticut	19	12
Texas	63	25
Vermont	7	128
Colorado	17	50
Massachusetts	58	1
Rhode Island	9	45
Florida	37	31
New Hampshire	10	63
New Mexico	6	89
Maine	9	234
Montana	4	185
Utah	9	44
Arizona	7	28
Idaho	4	215
Nevada	5	145
Oregon	17	64
Washington	20	5
California	98	4
Puerto Rico	9	574
Alaska	3	309
Hawaii	5	109

Economics subfields in Illinois

Actuarial Science13

Agricultural Economics6

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics24

Environmental Economics7

Finance38

International Economics14

International Relations and Diplomacy11

International Trade14

Investment Banking and Stock trading15

Political Economy19