100+ Best Universities in Illinois [2023 Rankings]

Top 100 universities in Illinois ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 30.8M citations received by 954K academic publications made by 100 universities from Illinois, the popularity of 4,922 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Chicago

Chicago

#15 in the United States

#16 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $33,727

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

#18 in the United States

#19 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 85%

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

#27 in the United States

#29 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $29,999

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

#68 in the United States

#75 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 81%

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

#136 in the United States

#157 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $29,371

6. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

#163 in the United States

#188 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1320
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $26,789

7. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

#176 in the United States

#201 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $13,008
Enrollment: 16,234

8. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

#186 in the United States

#211 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 95%

9. DePaul University

Chicago

#194 in the United States

#220 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $31,872
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $25,282

10. Illinois State University

Normal

#217 in the United States

#244 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 95%

11. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

#331 in the United States

#368 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 1040
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 99%

12. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

#350 in the United States

#390 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1020
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 99%

13. Western Illinois University

Macomb

#360 in the United States

#401 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $13,937
Enrollment: 7,455

14. Bradley University

Peoria

#390 in the United States

#435 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1170
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,312

15. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

#456 in the United States

#505 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $28,319

16. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

#466 in the United States

#515 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $30,610

17. Illinois College

Jacksonville

#481 in the United States

#530 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $18,914

18. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

#485 in the United States

#534 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 16%
Enrollment: 2,051
Male:Female: 42:58
Founded: 1912

19. Roosevelt University

Chicago

#514 in the United States

#564 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 990
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $23,964

20. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

#520 in the United States

#570 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

21. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

#531 in the United States

#582 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $50,214
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $20,194

22. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

#562 in the United States

#615 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Receiving Aid: 84%
Average Aid: $10,529
Enrollment: 6,440

23. Knox College

Galesburg

#642 in the United States

#699 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $25,476

24. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

#643 in the United States

#701 in North America

Enrollment: 74
Male:Female: 29:71

25. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

#663 in the United States

#723 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1117
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,018

26. Chicago State University

Chicago

#678 in the United States

#739 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $17,067
Enrollment: 2,366

27. Augustana College

Rock Island

#686 in the United States

#748 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $24,472
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $33,089

28. North Central College

Naperville

#740 in the United States

#807 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $26,207

29. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

#756 in the United States

#823 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Net Price: $25,262
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,992

30. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

#777 in the United States

#845 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1238
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $25,126

31. National Louis University

Chicago

#782 in the United States

#850 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $14,665
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $8,931

32. Governors State University

University Park

#797 in the United States

#865 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 945
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 89%

33. Rush University

Chicago

#807 in the United States

#875 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Enrollment: 2,889
Male:Female: 23:77
Founded: 1972

34. Benedictine University

Lisle

#811 in the United States

#879 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $24,746

35. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

#829 in the United States

#897 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Net Price: $29,115
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $6,866

36. Dominican University

River Forest

#857 in the United States

#925 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $18,476

37. Lewis University

Romeoville

#884 in the United States

#952 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $18,312

38. Millikin University

Decatur

#904 in the United States

#972 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $20,055

39. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

#913 in the United States

#981 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $13,419
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $27,598

40. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

#915 in the United States

#983 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

41. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

#940 in the United States

#1009 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $36,624
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $113

42. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

#947 in the United States

#1016 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 466
Male:Female: 40:60
Founded: 1906

43. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

#964 in the United States

#1033 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 42
Male:Female: 83:17

44. North Park University

Chicago

#994 in the United States

#1065 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1026
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $20,260

45. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

#1009 in the United States

#1080 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $20,431

46. Aurora University

Aurora

#1040 in the United States

#1111 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $17,410

47. University of St Francis

Joliet

#1138 in the United States

#1212 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $16,949

48. Monmouth College

Monmouth

#1154 in the United States

#1229 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $17,935

49. Greenville University

Greenville

#1161 in the United States

#1236 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $21,848

50. Rockford University

Rockford

#1204 in the United States

#1281 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1000
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $23,305

51. Trinity International University - Illinois

Deerfield

#1208 in the United States

#1285 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $20,328

52. Judson University

Elgin

#1211 in the United States

#1288 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $18,266

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	55	39
Missouri	67	38
Iowa	39	47
Kentucky	38	58
Wisconsin	47	13
Tennessee	56	49
Ohio	90	17
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	126
West Virginia	26	110
Minnesota	48	14
Mississippi	18	132
Kansas	32	74
Alabama	33	84
Virginia	63	41
Georgia	63	44
North Carolina	65	24
Oklahoma	31	97
Nebraska	23	70
South Carolina	37	87
Pennsylvania	155	11
South Dakota	15	242
District of Columbia	15	66
Louisiana	27	83
Maryland	34	12
Delaware	5	89
New York	221	6
New Jersey	47	23
North Dakota	14	185
Connecticut	28	8
Texas	119	25
Vermont	17	106
Colorado	38	46
Massachusetts	88	1
Rhode Island	12	54
Florida	109	22
New Hampshire	16	78
Wyoming	1	143
New Mexico	12	79
Maine	19	154
Montana	12	144
Utah	20	40
Arizona	25	30
Idaho	10	157
Nevada	10	130
Oregon	31	63
Washington	57	7
California	249	2
Puerto Rico	52	375
US Virgin Islands	1	803
Alaska	6	179
Hawaii	10	160
American Samoa	1	1703
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1622
Guam	2	595

Closest to Illinois states