24 Best colleges for Earth science / Geoscience / Geophysics 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 Earth science and Geophysics. A graph of 1.07M citations received by 25K academic papers made by 24 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: 42%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

2. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Earth science and Geophysics

#40 in the United States

#45 in North America

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

3. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#45 in the United States

#51 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#96 in the United States

#116 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
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: 87%
Average SAT: 1030
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%

6. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Earth science and Geophysics

#166 in the United States

#198 in North America

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

7. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Earth science and Geophysics

#180 in the United States

#214 in North America

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

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: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $24,796

9. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#265 in the United States

#309 in North America

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

10. Illinois State University

Normal

For Earth science and Geophysics

#289 in the United States

#336 in North America

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

11. DePaul University

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#337 in the United States

#386 in North America

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

12. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Earth science and Geophysics

#361 in the United States

#410 in North America

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

13. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Earth science and Geophysics

#366 in the United States

#415 in North America

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

14. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Earth science and Geophysics

#400 in the United States

#451 in North America

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

15. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Earth science and Geophysics

#424 in the United States

#475 in North America

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

16. Bradley University

Peoria

For Earth science and Geophysics

#449 in the United States

#501 in North America

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

17. North Central College

Naperville

For Earth science and Geophysics

#487 in the United States

#540 in North America

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

18. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Earth science and Geophysics

#519 in the United States

#573 in North America

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

19. Rush University

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#548 in the United States

#603 in North America

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

20. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Earth science and Geophysics

#557 in the United States

#612 in North America

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

21. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#599 in the United States

#660 in North America

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

22. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Earth science and Geophysics

#601 in the United States

#662 in North America

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

23. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Earth science and Geophysics

#611 in the United States

#672 in North America

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

24. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Earth science and Geophysics

#627 in the United States

#688 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Earth science and Geophysics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	14	24
Missouri	10	76
Iowa	3	49
Kentucky	7	82
Wisconsin	16	16
Tennessee	13	61
Ohio	25	26
Michigan	17	9
Arkansas	7	126
West Virginia	3	116
Minnesota	11	19
Mississippi	5	138
Kansas	7	50
Alabama	9	102
Virginia	15	37
Georgia	15	32
North Carolina	16	41
Oklahoma	5	58
Nebraska	6	74
South Carolina	8	57
Pennsylvania	37	11
South Dakota	4	203
District of Columbia	6	162
Louisiana	12	44
Maryland	12	25
New York	65	10
New Jersey	14	27
North Dakota	3	163
Connecticut	11	29
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	65
Maine	7	87
Montana	3	97
Utah	7	17
Arizona	4	13
Idaho	3	98
Oregon	8	21
Washington	11	4
California	53	1
Puerto Rico	4	227
Alaska	4	31
Hawaii	4	55