23 Best colleges for Earth science / Geoscience / Geophysics 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 Earth science and Geophysics. A graph of 1.01M citations received by 24.6K academic papers made by 23 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 Earth science and Geophysics

#18 in the United States

#20 in North America

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

2. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Earth science and Geophysics

#40 in the United States

#45 in North America

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

3. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#45 in the United States

#51 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#96 in the United States

#116 in North America

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

5. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Earth science and Geophysics

#155 in the United States

#187 in North America

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

6. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Earth science and Geophysics

#164 in the United States

#196 in North America

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

7. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Earth science and Geophysics

#178 in the United States

#212 in North America

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

8. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#181 in the United States

#215 in North America

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

9. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#265 in the United States

#308 in North America

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

10. Illinois State University

Normal

For Earth science and Geophysics

#289 in the United States

#336 in North America

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

11. DePaul University

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#341 in the United States

#390 in North America

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

12. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Earth science and Geophysics

#361 in the United States

#410 in North America

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

13. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Earth science and Geophysics

#369 in the United States

#418 in North America

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

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Earth science and Geophysics

#399 in the United States

#450 in North America

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

15. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Earth science and Geophysics

#413 in the United States

#464 in North America

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

16. Bradley University

Peoria

For Earth science and Geophysics

#443 in the United States

#495 in North America

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

17. North Central College

Naperville

For Earth science and Geophysics

#483 in the United States

#536 in North America

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

18. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Earth science and Geophysics

#514 in the United States

#568 in North America

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

19. Rush University

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#547 in the United States

#602 in North America

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

20. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Earth science and Geophysics

#549 in the United States

#604 in North America

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

21. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#593 in the United States

#653 in North America

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

22. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#594 in the United States

#654 in North America

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

23. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Earth science and Geophysics

#608 in the United States

#669 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Earth science and Geophysics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	14	24
Missouri	9	76
Iowa	3	49
Kentucky	7	82
Wisconsin	16	16
Tennessee	13	62
Ohio	25	26
Michigan	16	10
Arkansas	7	126
West Virginia	3	115
Minnesota	10	19
Mississippi	5	139
Kansas	7	51
Alabama	9	103
Virginia	15	37
Georgia	15	32
North Carolina	15	41
Oklahoma	5	59
Nebraska	6	75
South Carolina	8	57
Pennsylvania	37	11
South Dakota	4	202
District of Columbia	6	162
Louisiana	11	43
Maryland	12	25
New York	65	9
New Jersey	14	27
North Dakota	3	166
Connecticut	11	28
Texas	43	6
Vermont	3	137
Colorado	13	7
Massachusetts	28	2
Rhode Island	4	39
Florida	23	35
New Hampshire	4	71
New Mexico	4	64
Maine	7	86
Montana	3	97
Utah	6	17
Arizona	4	13
Idaho	3	98
Oregon	8	21
Washington	11	4
California	52	1
Puerto Rico	4	228
Alaska	4	31
Hawaii	4	55