70 Best Engineering 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 Engineering. A graph of 21.7M citations received by 517K academic papers made by 70 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 Engineering

#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 Engineering

#24 in the United States

#25 in North America

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

3. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Engineering

#38 in the United States

#43 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Engineering

#58 in the United States

#66 in North America

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Engineering

#128 in the United States

#152 in North America

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

6. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Engineering

#185 in the United States

#213 in North America

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

7. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Engineering

#200 in the United States

#230 in North America

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

8. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Engineering

#211 in the United States

#242 in North America

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

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Engineering

#250 in the United States

#285 in North America

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

10. DePaul University

Chicago

For Engineering

#267 in the United States

#304 in North America

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

11. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Engineering

#278 in the United States

#318 in North America

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

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Engineering

#308 in the United States

#349 in North America

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

13. Rush University

Chicago

For Engineering

#349 in the United States

#396 in North America

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

14. Bradley University

Peoria

For Engineering

#380 in the United States

#429 in North America

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

15. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Engineering

#386 in the United States

#435 in North America

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

16. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Engineering

#401 in the United States

#452 in North America

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

17. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Engineering

#416 in the United States

#467 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

18. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Engineering

#418 in the United States

#469 in North America

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

19. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Engineering

#443 in the United States

#494 in North America

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

20. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Engineering

#463 in the United States

#515 in North America

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

21. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Engineering

#500 in the United States

#553 in North America

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

22. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Engineering

#512 in the United States

#565 in North America

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

23. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Engineering

#535 in the United States

#589 in North America

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

24. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Engineering

#537 in the United States

#591 in North America

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

25. North Central College

Naperville

For Engineering

#550 in the United States

#605 in North America

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

26. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Engineering

#677 in the United States

#739 in North America

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

27. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Engineering

#679 in the United States

#741 in North America

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

28. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Engineering

#689 in the United States

#751 in North America

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

29. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Engineering

#704 in the United States

#767 in North America

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

30. Knox College

Galesburg

For Engineering

#742 in the United States

#805 in North America

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

31. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Engineering

#761 in the United States

#825 in North America

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

32. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Engineering

#857 in the United States

#924 in North America

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

33. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Engineering

#888 in the United States

#955 in North America

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

34. Governors State University

University Park

For Engineering

#901 in the United States

#969 in North America

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

35. Greenville University

Greenville

For Engineering

#908 in the United States

#976 in North America

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

36. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Engineering

#915 in the United States

#983 in North America

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

37. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Engineering

#921 in the United States

#989 in North America

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

38. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Engineering

#943 in the United States

#1012 in North America

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

39. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Engineering

#959 in the United States

#1028 in North America

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

40. Dominican University

River Forest

For Engineering

#968 in the United States

#1037 in North America

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

41. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Engineering

#1010 in the United States

#1081 in North America

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

42. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Engineering

#1035 in the United States

#1106 in North America

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

43. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Engineering

#1077 in the United States

#1149 in North America

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

44. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Engineering

#1091 in the United States

#1164 in North America

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

45. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Engineering

#1116 in the United States

#1190 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

46. Millikin University

Decatur

For Engineering

#1125 in the United States

#1200 in North America

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

47. National Louis University

Chicago

For Engineering

#1138 in the United States

#1213 in North America

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

48. Rockford University

Rockford

For Engineering

#1146 in the United States

#1222 in North America

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

49. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Engineering

#1195 in the United States

#1271 in North America

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

50. McKendree University

Lebanon

For Engineering

#1203 in the United States

#1280 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Net Price: $22,444
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $26,102

51. Kendall College

Chicago

For Engineering

#1223 in the United States

#1300 in North America

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

52. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Engineering

#1227 in the United States

#1305 in North America

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

53. North Park University

Chicago

For Engineering

#1239 in the United States

#1317 in North America

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

54. Principia College

Elsah

For Engineering

#1250 in the United States

#1328 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,248
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $30,402

55. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Engineering

#1251 in the United States

#1329 in North America

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

56. Aurora University

Aurora

For Engineering

#1253 in the United States

#1331 in North America

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

57. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Engineering

#1291 in the United States

#1369 in North America

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

58. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Engineering

#1342 in the United States

#1420 in North America

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

59. Bexley Hall Seabury Western Theological Seminary Federation, Inc.

Chicago

For Engineering

#1348 in the United States

#1427 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 41:59

60. Eureka College

Eureka

For Engineering

#1378 in the United States

#1458 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $19,128
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $20,489

61. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Engineering

#1422 in the United States

#1503 in North America

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

62. Quincy University

Quincy

For Engineering

#1433 in the United States

#1515 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,477

63. Adler University

Chicago

For Engineering

#1434 in the United States

#1516 in North America

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

64. Judson University

Elgin

For Engineering

#1437 in the United States

#1519 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 967
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $18,673

65. Catholic Theological Union at Chicago

Chicago

For Engineering

#1480 in the United States

#1562 in North America

Enrollment: 210
Male:Female: 64:36
Founded: 1968

66. American InterContinental University

Schaumburg

For Engineering

#1502 in the United States

#1587 in North America

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

67. Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights

For Engineering

#1509 in the United States

#1594 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,655

68. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Engineering

#1516 in the United States

#1601 in North America

Enrollment: 125
Male:Female: 55:45

69. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Evanston

For Engineering

#1528 in the United States

#1614 in North America

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

70. University of Saint Mary of the Lake

Mundelein

For Engineering

#1558 in the United States

#1645 in North America

Enrollment: 200
Male:Female: 85:15

Closest to Illinois states to learn Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	32	17
Missouri	36	49
Iowa	29	42
Kentucky	25	71
Wisconsin	32	13
Tennessee	34	55
Ohio	60	22
Michigan	36	5
Arkansas	18	119
West Virginia	20	111
Minnesota	27	15
Mississippi	14	123
Kansas	13	96
Alabama	26	91
Virginia	42	33
Georgia	47	10
North Carolina	41	35
Oklahoma	20	94
Nebraska	12	76
South Carolina	28	82
Pennsylvania	104	12
South Dakota	8	228
District of Columbia	10	102
Louisiana	24	79
Maryland	27	18
Delaware	3	59
New York	137	8
New Jersey	28	19
North Dakota	8	166
Connecticut	20	29
Texas	76	11
Vermont	13	137
Colorado	21	36
Massachusetts	69	2
Rhode Island	9	64
Florida	59	27
New Hampshire	11	99
New Mexico	9	88
Maine	14	181
Montana	8	157
Utah	12	45
Arizona	10	32
Idaho	7	152
Nevada	8	132
Oregon	17	72
Washington	31	7
California	134	1
Puerto Rico	15	276
Alaska	4	184
Hawaii	7	121