45 Best Mechanical 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 Mechanical Engineering. A graph of 3.21M citations received by 84.4K academic papers made by 45 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 Mechanical 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 Mechanical Engineering

#27 in the United States

#29 in North America

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

3. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#31 in the United States

#33 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#53 in the United States

#61 in North America

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#121 in the United States

#144 in North America

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

6. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Mechanical Engineering

#177 in the United States

#207 in North America

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

7. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#193 in the United States

#223 in North America

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

8. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Mechanical Engineering

#207 in the United States

#237 in North America

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

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#228 in the United States

#261 in North America

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

10. Illinois State University

Normal

For Mechanical Engineering

#232 in the United States

#265 in North America

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

11. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Mechanical Engineering

#248 in the United States

#283 in North America

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

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Mechanical Engineering

#267 in the United States

#304 in North America

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

13. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#272 in the United States

#310 in North America

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

14. Bradley University

Peoria

For Mechanical Engineering

#296 in the United States

#335 in North America

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

15. Rush University

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#328 in the United States

#369 in North America

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

16. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Mechanical Engineering

#346 in the United States

#388 in North America

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

17. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#408 in the United States

#455 in North America

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

18. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Mechanical Engineering

#430 in the United States

#479 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

19. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Mechanical Engineering

#450 in the United States

#500 in North America

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

20. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#454 in the United States

#505 in North America

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

21. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Mechanical Engineering

#456 in the United States

#507 in North America

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

22. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Mechanical Engineering

#486 in the United States

#538 in North America

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

23. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Mechanical Engineering

#522 in the United States

#576 in North America

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

24. North Central College

Naperville

For Mechanical Engineering

#527 in the United States

#581 in North America

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

25. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#543 in the United States

#597 in North America

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

26. Knox College

Galesburg

For Mechanical Engineering

#585 in the United States

#643 in North America

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

27. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#631 in the United States

#690 in North America

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

28. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Mechanical Engineering

#684 in the United States

#746 in North America

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

29. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Mechanical Engineering

#695 in the United States

#758 in North America

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

30. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#718 in the United States

#782 in North America

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

31. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#754 in the United States

#820 in North America

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

32. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Mechanical Engineering

#791 in the United States

#857 in North America

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

33. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#829 in the United States

#896 in North America

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

34. Governors State University

University Park

For Mechanical Engineering

#847 in the United States

#914 in North America

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

35. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#872 in the United States

#940 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

36. Greenville University

Greenville

For Mechanical Engineering

#882 in the United States

#950 in North America

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

37. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Mechanical Engineering

#888 in the United States

#956 in North America

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

38. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Mechanical Engineering

#909 in the United States

#980 in North America

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

39. Dominican University

River Forest

For Mechanical Engineering

#910 in the United States

#981 in North America

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

40. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Mechanical Engineering

#937 in the United States

#1008 in North America

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

41. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Mechanical Engineering

#961 in the United States

#1032 in North America

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

42. National Louis University

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#973 in the United States

#1044 in North America

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

43. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#993 in the United States

#1064 in North America

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

44. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Mechanical Engineering

#1002 in the United States

#1074 in North America

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

45. Aurora University

Aurora

For Mechanical Engineering

#1027 in the United States

#1101 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Mechanical Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	24	10
Missouri	21	51
Iowa	10	40
Kentucky	15	59
Wisconsin	23	11
Tennessee	24	52
Ohio	38	14
Michigan	24	5
Arkansas	12	135
West Virginia	9	105
Minnesota	21	20
Mississippi	7	123
Kansas	9	101
Alabama	17	90
Virginia	29	32
Georgia	28	8
North Carolina	27	38
Oklahoma	11	93
Nebraska	7	81
South Carolina	16	74
Pennsylvania	72	12
South Dakota	6	298
District of Columbia	8	107
Louisiana	16	61
Maryland	22	13
New York	103	9
New Jersey	20	22
North Dakota	4	190
Connecticut	18	28
Texas	59	15
Vermont	4	150
Colorado	15	46
Massachusetts	48	1
Rhode Island	7	65
Florida	33	26
New Hampshire	8	108
New Mexico	6	100
Maine	8	191
Montana	3	188
Utah	7	44
Arizona	6	42
Idaho	4	163
Oregon	15	84
Washington	20	7
California	87	2
Puerto Rico	7	283
Alaska	3	220
Hawaii	4	126