56 Best colleges for Ecology 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 Ecology. A graph of 6.59M citations received by 148K academic papers made by 56 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 Ecology

#11 in the United States

#13 in North America

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

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#41 in the United States

#46 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Ecology

#52 in the United States

#58 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#74 in the United States

#90 in North America

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

5. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Ecology

#133 in the United States

#156 in North America

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

6. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Ecology

#168 in the United States

#197 in North America

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

7. Illinois State University

Normal

For Ecology

#182 in the United States

#214 in North America

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

8. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#196 in the United States

#228 in North America

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

9. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Ecology

#207 in the United States

#243 in North America

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

10. DePaul University

Chicago

For Ecology

#265 in the United States

#306 in North America

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

11. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Ecology

#320 in the United States

#371 in North America

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

12. North Central College

Naperville

For Ecology

#327 in the United States

#378 in North America

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

13. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Ecology

#332 in the United States

#383 in North America

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

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Ecology

#369 in the United States

#421 in North America

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

15. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Ecology

#372 in the United States

#424 in North America

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

16. Bradley University

Peoria

For Ecology

#449 in the United States

#501 in North America

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

17. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Ecology

#465 in the United States

#518 in North America

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

18. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Ecology

#540 in the United States

#596 in North America

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

19. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Ecology

#541 in the United States

#597 in North America

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

20. Rush University

Chicago

For Ecology

#547 in the United States

#604 in North America

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

21. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Ecology

#561 in the United States

#619 in North America

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

22. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Ecology

#563 in the United States

#622 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

23. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Ecology

#596 in the United States

#657 in North America

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

24. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Ecology

#624 in the United States

#686 in North America

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

25. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Ecology

#640 in the United States

#703 in North America

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

26. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Ecology

#642 in the United States

#706 in North America

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

27. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Ecology

#669 in the United States

#734 in North America

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

28. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Ecology

#725 in the United States

#792 in North America

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

29. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#761 in the United States

#828 in North America

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

30. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Ecology

#779 in the United States

#847 in North America

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

31. Knox College

Galesburg

For Ecology

#829 in the United States

#898 in North America

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

32. Governors State University

University Park

For Ecology

#844 in the United States

#913 in North America

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

33. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#899 in the United States

#970 in North America

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

34. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Ecology

#907 in the United States

#978 in North America

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

35. Rockford University

Rockford

For Ecology

#910 in the United States

#981 in North America

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

36. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Ecology

#945 in the United States

#1016 in North America

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

37. Millikin University

Decatur

For Ecology

#983 in the United States

#1055 in North America

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

38. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Ecology

#1007 in the United States

#1080 in North America

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

39. Dominican University

River Forest

For Ecology

#1027 in the United States

#1102 in North America

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

40. Quincy University

Quincy

For Ecology

#1053 in the United States

#1128 in North America

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

41. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Ecology

#1088 in the United States

#1163 in North America

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

42. National Louis University

Chicago

For Ecology

#1105 in the United States

#1181 in North America

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

43. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Ecology

#1141 in the United States

#1218 in North America

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

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

Chicago

For Ecology

#1146 in the United States

#1223 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 41:59

45. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Ecology

#1151 in the United States

#1228 in North America

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

46. Aurora University

Aurora

For Ecology

#1161 in the United States

#1238 in North America

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

47. Eureka College

Eureka

For Ecology

#1166 in the United States

#1243 in North America

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

48. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Ecology

#1182 in the United States

#1260 in North America

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

49. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#1197 in the United States

#1275 in North America

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

50. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Ecology

#1204 in the United States

#1282 in North America

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

51. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Ecology

#1210 in the United States

#1288 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

52. Greenville University

Greenville

For Ecology

#1219 in the United States

#1297 in North America

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

53. Principia College

Elsah

For Ecology

#1226 in the United States

#1305 in North America

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

54. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Ecology

#1254 in the United States

#1334 in North America

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

55. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Ecology

#1300 in the United States

#1382 in North America

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

56. North Park University

Chicago

For Ecology

#1307 in the United States

#1389 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Ecology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	28	30
Missouri	29	57
Iowa	20	29
Kentucky	16	59
Wisconsin	27	9
Tennessee	27	48
Ohio	51	15
Michigan	30	8
Arkansas	16	102
West Virginia	16	111
Minnesota	26	10
Mississippi	12	87
Kansas	11	56
Alabama	22	68
Virginia	39	39
Georgia	36	20
North Carolina	38	21
Oklahoma	16	78
Nebraska	12	43
South Carolina	22	84
Pennsylvania	84	13
South Dakota	8	145
District of Columbia	8	106
Louisiana	22	58
Maryland	25	23
Delaware	3	69
New York	114	3
New Jersey	21	31
North Dakota	6	131
Connecticut	20	16
Texas	68	17
Vermont	8	107
Colorado	18	26
Massachusetts	60	2
Rhode Island	9	80
Florida	44	6
New Hampshire	11	95
New Mexico	8	77
Maine	15	98
Montana	8	83
Utah	10	50
Arizona	8	19
Idaho	7	92
Nevada	7	109
Oregon	16	24
Washington	26	5
California	108	1
Puerto Rico	11	252
Alaska	4	76
Hawaii	7	70