53 Best colleges for Development Studies 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 Development Studies. A graph of 2.52M citations received by 74.6K 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: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,979

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Development Studies

#22 in the United States

#24 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Development Studies

#24 in the United States

#26 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#37 in the United States

#42 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#119 in the United States

#138 in North America

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

6. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Development Studies

#150 in the United States

#170 in North America

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

7. Illinois State University

Normal

For Development Studies

#156 in the United States

#177 in North America

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

8. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Development Studies

#157 in the United States

#178 in North America

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

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#168 in the United States

#192 in North America

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

10. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Development Studies

#227 in the United States

#256 in North America

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

11. Rush University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#265 in the United States

#297 in North America

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

12. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Development Studies

#285 in the United States

#318 in North America

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

13. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Development Studies

#290 in the United States

#324 in North America

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

14. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Development Studies

#316 in the United States

#351 in North America

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

15. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Development Studies

#370 in the United States

#410 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 32:68

16. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Development Studies

#378 in the United States

#418 in North America

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

17. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Development Studies

#398 in the United States

#438 in North America

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

18. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Development Studies

#477 in the United States

#523 in North America

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

19. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Development Studies

#481 in the United States

#527 in North America

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

20. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#504 in the United States

#551 in North America

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

21. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Development Studies

#508 in the United States

#555 in North America

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

22. Bradley University

Peoria

For Development Studies

#510 in the United States

#557 in North America

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

23. National Louis University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#539 in the United States

#588 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $15,724
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $9,722

24. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#543 in the United States

#592 in North America

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

25. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#576 in the United States

#630 in North America

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

26. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#602 in the United States

#658 in North America

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

27. Governors State University

University Park

For Development Studies

#668 in the United States

#728 in North America

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

28. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Development Studies

#673 in the United States

#734 in North America

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

29. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Development Studies

#702 in the United States

#765 in North America

Enrollment: 368
Male:Female: 2:98

30. Dominican University

River Forest

For Development Studies

#745 in the United States

#809 in North America

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

31. North Central College

Naperville

For Development Studies

#804 in the United States

#872 in North America

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

32. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Development Studies

#834 in the United States

#903 in North America

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

33. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Development Studies

#857 in the United States

#926 in North America

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

34. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Development Studies

#875 in the United States

#944 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $16,455

35. Aurora University

Aurora

For Development Studies

#892 in the United States

#962 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1032
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,220

36. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Development Studies

#916 in the United States

#986 in North America

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

37. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Development Studies

#922 in the United States

#992 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

38. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Development Studies

#946 in the United States

#1016 in North America

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

39. Knox College

Galesburg

For Development Studies

#981 in the United States

#1052 in North America

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

40. Rockford University

Rockford

For Development Studies

#987 in the United States

#1058 in North America

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

41. Millikin University

Decatur

For Development Studies

#993 in the United States

#1065 in North America

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

42. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#995 in the United States

#1067 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Net Price: $29,790
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,851

43. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Development Studies

#1001 in the United States

#1073 in North America

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

44. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Development Studies

#1016 in the United States

#1089 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 513
Male:Female: 38:62
Founded: 1906

45. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Development Studies

#1073 in the United States

#1147 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $31,063

46. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Development Studies

#1076 in the United States

#1150 in North America

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

47. North Park University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#1110 in the United States

#1186 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $19,910
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,779

48. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Development Studies

#1115 in the United States

#1191 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $22,707

49. Adler University

Chicago

For Development Studies

#1142 in the United States

#1218 in North America

Enrollment: 1,674
Male:Female: 18:82
Founded: 1952

50. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Development Studies

#1143 in the United States

#1219 in North America

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

51. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Development Studies

#1152 in the United States

#1228 in North America

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

52. Greenville University

Greenville

For Development Studies

#1158 in the United States

#1234 in North America

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

53. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Development Studies

#1170 in the United States

#1246 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $17,767
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,680

Closest to Illinois states to learn Development Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	26	41
Missouri	24	47
Iowa	15	43
Kentucky	21	57
Wisconsin	27	14
Tennessee	24	38
Ohio	44	20
Michigan	25	2
Arkansas	13	141
West Virginia	9	102
Minnesota	24	13
Mississippi	10	182
Kansas	9	73
Alabama	19	68
Virginia	29	42
Georgia	34	35
North Carolina	33	9
Oklahoma	13	117
Nebraska	9	93
South Carolina	20	63
Pennsylvania	83	8
South Dakota	8	329
District of Columbia	9	40
Louisiana	21	92
Maryland	24	3
New York	109	6
New Jersey	21	25
North Dakota	5	231
Connecticut	20	12
Texas	63	26
Vermont	7	129
Colorado	17	51
Massachusetts	58	1
Rhode Island	9	45
Florida	37	32
New Hampshire	10	61
New Mexico	6	89
Maine	9	234
Montana	4	185
Utah	9	44
Arizona	7	28
Idaho	4	221
Nevada	5	147
Oregon	17	66
Washington	20	5
California	98	4
Puerto Rico	9	574
Alaska	3	308
Hawaii	5	106

Economics subfields in Illinois

Actuarial Science12

Agricultural Economics6

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics23

Environmental Economics7

Finance38

International Economics14

International Relations and Diplomacy11

International Trade14

Investment Banking and Stock trading15

Political Economy19