56 Best colleges for Ecology 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 Ecology. A graph of 6.3M citations received by 145K 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: 44%
Average SAT: 1390
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 61%

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#41 in the United States

#46 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,979

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Ecology

#52 in the United States

#58 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#74 in the United States

#89 in North America

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

5. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Ecology

#133 in the United States

#156 in North America

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

6. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Ecology

#167 in the United States

#196 in North America

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

7. Illinois State University

Normal

For Ecology

#182 in the United States

#212 in North America

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

8. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#196 in the United States

#228 in North America

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

9. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Ecology

#206 in the United States

#240 in North America

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

10. DePaul University

Chicago

For Ecology

#265 in the United States

#305 in North America

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

11. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Ecology

#319 in the United States

#368 in North America

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

12. North Central College

Naperville

For Ecology

#324 in the United States

#374 in North America

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

13. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Ecology

#328 in the United States

#379 in North America

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

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Ecology

#365 in the United States

#417 in North America

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

15. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Ecology

#377 in the United States

#429 in North America

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

16. Bradley University

Peoria

For Ecology

#446 in the United States

#498 in North America

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

17. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Ecology

#465 in the United States

#518 in North America

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

18. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Ecology

#534 in the United States

#590 in North America

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

19. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Ecology

#536 in the United States

#592 in North America

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

20. Rush University

Chicago

For Ecology

#552 in the United States

#608 in North America

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

21. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Ecology

#557 in the United States

#614 in North America

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

22. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Ecology

#561 in the United States

#618 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 32:68

23. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Ecology

#597 in the United States

#658 in North America

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

24. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Ecology

#628 in the United States

#689 in North America

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

25. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Ecology

#641 in the United States

#703 in North America

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

26. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Ecology

#646 in the United States

#709 in North America

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

27. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Ecology

#669 in the United States

#733 in North America

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

28. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Ecology

#724 in the United States

#791 in North America

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

29. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#759 in the United States

#826 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 38
Male:Female: 73:27

30. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Ecology

#773 in the United States

#840 in North America

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

31. Knox College

Galesburg

For Ecology

#822 in the United States

#891 in North America

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

32. Governors State University

University Park

For Ecology

#848 in the United States

#917 in North America

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

33. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#892 in the United States

#963 in North America

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

34. Rockford University

Rockford

For Ecology

#899 in the United States

#970 in North America

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

35. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Ecology

#908 in the United States

#979 in North America

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

36. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Ecology

#940 in the United States

#1011 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $17,008
Receiving Aid: 84%
Average Aid: $5,947

37. Millikin University

Decatur

For Ecology

#986 in the United States

#1058 in North America

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

38. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Ecology

#1001 in the United States

#1073 in North America

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

39. Dominican University

River Forest

For Ecology

#1036 in the United States

#1110 in North America

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

40. Quincy University

Quincy

For Ecology

#1053 in the United States

#1128 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1160
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $17,424

41. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Ecology

#1078 in the United States

#1153 in North America

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

42. National Louis University

Chicago

For Ecology

#1094 in the United States

#1169 in North America

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

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

Chicago

For Ecology

#1130 in the United States

#1207 in North America

Enrollment: 76
Male:Female: 47:53

44. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Ecology

#1132 in the United States

#1209 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 483
Male:Female: 26:74
Founded: 1872

45. Aurora University

Aurora

For Ecology

#1148 in the United States

#1225 in North America

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

46. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Ecology

#1155 in the United States

#1232 in North America

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

47. Eureka College

Eureka

For Ecology

#1163 in the United States

#1240 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Net Price: $20,215
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $18,303

48. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Ecology

#1174 in the United States

#1251 in North America

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

49. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Ecology

#1194 in the United States

#1271 in North America

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

50. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Ecology

#1195 in the United States

#1272 in North America

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

51. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Ecology

#1200 in the United States

#1277 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

52. Greenville University

Greenville

For Ecology

#1223 in the United States

#1301 in North America

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

53. Principia College

Elsah

For Ecology

#1225 in the United States

#1303 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $14,904

54. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Ecology

#1253 in the United States

#1333 in North America

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

55. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Ecology

#1290 in the United States

#1372 in North America

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

56. North Park University

Chicago

For Ecology

#1294 in the United States

#1376 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Ecology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	28	30
Missouri	29	57
Iowa	18	29
Kentucky	16	59
Wisconsin	27	9
Tennessee	27	48
Ohio	51	15
Michigan	30	8
Arkansas	16	103
West Virginia	16	110
Minnesota	26	10
Mississippi	12	90
Kansas	11	56
Alabama	21	68
Virginia	39	39
Georgia	35	20
North Carolina	37	21
Oklahoma	16	79
Nebraska	12	43
South Carolina	22	84
Pennsylvania	83	13
South Dakota	8	145
District of Columbia	8	106
Louisiana	22	58
Maryland	25	22
New York	113	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	94
New Mexico	8	77
Maine	15	97
Montana	7	82
Utah	9	49
Arizona	8	19
Idaho	7	93
Nevada	6	109
Oregon	16	24
Washington	25	5
California	107	1
Puerto Rico	11	255
Alaska	4	76
Hawaii	7	70