74 Best colleges for History 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 History. A graph of 5.05M citations received by 159K academic papers made by 74 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 Chicago

Chicago

For History

#11 in the United States

#12 in North America

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

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For History

#13 in the United States

#14 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For History

#38 in the United States

#42 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For History

#53 in the United States

#61 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For History

#135 in the United States

#158 in North America

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

6. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For History

#150 in the United States

#174 in North America

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

7. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For History

#166 in the United States

#192 in North America

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

8. DePaul University

Chicago

For History

#178 in the United States

#204 in North America

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

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For History

#195 in the United States

#224 in North America

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

10. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For History

#243 in the United States

#275 in North America

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

11. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For History

#282 in the United States

#318 in North America

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

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For History

#322 in the United States

#362 in North America

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

13. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For History

#338 in the United States

#379 in North America

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

14. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For History

#350 in the United States

#393 in North America

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

15. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For History

#356 in the United States

#401 in North America

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

16. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For History

#420 in the United States

#467 in North America

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

17. Bradley University

Peoria

For History

#452 in the United States

#501 in North America

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

18. North Central College

Naperville

For History

#479 in the United States

#531 in North America

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

19. Rush University

Chicago

For History

#491 in the United States

#543 in North America

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

20. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For History

#502 in the United States

#555 in North America

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

21. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For History

#514 in the United States

#567 in North America

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

22. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For History

#574 in the United States

#628 in North America

Enrollment: 75
Male:Female: 32:68

23. Augustana College

Rock Island

For History

#587 in the United States

#642 in North America

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

24. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For History

#588 in the United States

#643 in North America

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

25. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For History

#605 in the United States

#661 in North America

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

26. Knox College

Galesburg

For History

#612 in the United States

#670 in North America

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

27. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For History

#644 in the United States

#705 in North America

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

28. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For History

#752 in the United States

#819 in North America

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

29. Chicago State University

Chicago

For History

#778 in the United States

#846 in North America

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

30. Governors State University

University Park

For History

#781 in the United States

#849 in North America

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

31. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For History

#836 in the United States

#906 in North America

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

32. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For History

#870 in the United States

#941 in North America

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

33. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For History

#878 in the United States

#949 in North America

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

34. Dominican University

River Forest

For History

#880 in the United States

#952 in North America

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

35. Greenville University

Greenville

For History

#885 in the United States

#957 in North America

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

36. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For History

#891 in the United States

#963 in North America

Enrollment: 368
Male:Female: 2:98

37. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For History

#906 in the United States

#978 in North America

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

38. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For History

#928 in the United States

#1001 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

39. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For History

#975 in the United States

#1048 in North America

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

40. Lewis University

Romeoville

For History

#987 in the United States

#1060 in North America

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

41. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For History

#989 in the United States

#1062 in North America

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

42. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For History

#1002 in the United States

#1075 in North America

Enrollment: 114
Male:Female: 44:56

43. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For History

#1004 in the United States

#1077 in North America

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

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

Chicago

For History

#1007 in the United States

#1080 in North America

Enrollment: 76
Male:Female: 47:53

45. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For History

#1054 in the United States

#1128 in North America

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

46. Catholic Theological Union at Chicago

Chicago

For History

#1055 in the United States

#1129 in North America

Enrollment: 198
Male:Female: 64:36
Founded: 1968

47. Aurora University

Aurora

For History

#1067 in the United States

#1141 in North America

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

48. Millikin University

Decatur

For History

#1082 in the United States

#1157 in North America

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

49. National Louis University

Chicago

For History

#1090 in the United States

#1165 in North America

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

50. Benedictine University

Lisle

For History

#1096 in the United States

#1171 in North America

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

51. University of St Francis

Joliet

For History

#1116 in the United States

#1191 in North America

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

52. North Park University

Chicago

For History

#1121 in the United States

#1196 in North America

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

53. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For History

#1128 in the United States

#1203 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 513
Male:Female: 38:62
Founded: 1906

54. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Evanston

For History

#1167 in the United States

#1243 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 299
Male:Female: 44:56

55. Rockford University

Rockford

For History

#1206 in the United States

#1282 in North America

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

56. McKendree University

Lebanon

For History

#1209 in the United States

#1285 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Net Price: $25,200
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $22,269

57. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For History

#1249 in the United States

#1327 in North America

Enrollment: 133
Male:Female: 63:37

58. Trinity International University - Illinois

Deerfield

For History

#1266 in the United States

#1346 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $21,260
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,365

59. University of Saint Mary of the Lake

Mundelein

For History

#1274 in the United States

#1354 in North America

Enrollment: 203
Male:Female: 85:15

60. Spertus College

Chicago

For History

#1279 in the United States

#1359 in North America

Enrollment: 97
Male:Female: 37:63

61. Eureka College

Eureka

For History

#1280 in the United States

#1360 in North America

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

62. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For History

#1290 in the United States

#1371 in North America

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

63. Principia College

Elsah

For History

#1296 in the United States

#1377 in North America

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

64. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For History

#1297 in the United States

#1378 in North America

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

65. Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights

For History

#1319 in the United States

#1400 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $17,218

66. Chicago Theological Seminary

Chicago

For History

#1325 in the United States

#1406 in North America

Enrollment: 202
Male:Female: 42:58

67. Adler University

Chicago

For History

#1370 in the United States

#1455 in North America

Enrollment: 1,674
Male:Female: 18:82
Founded: 1952

68. Kendall College

Chicago

For History

#1406 in the United States

#1492 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Net Price: $30,324
Receiving Aid: 69%
Average Aid: $7,984

69. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For History

#1424 in the United States

#1510 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $17,767
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,680

70. Moody Bible Institute

Chicago

For History

#1438 in the United States

#1524 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $23,950
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $10,477

71. Quincy University

Quincy

For History

#1452 in the United States

#1539 in North America

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

72. Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Lisle

For History

#1457 in the United States

#1545 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 6
Male:Female: 50:50

73. Meadville Lombard Theological School

Chicago

For History

#1480 in the United States

#1568 in North America

Enrollment: 69
Male:Female: 33:67

74. Judson University

Elgin

For History

#1492 in the United States

#1580 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 970
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $21,331

Closest to Illinois states to learn History

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	32	33
Missouri	38	39
Iowa	28	45
Kentucky	22	60
Wisconsin	31	12
Tennessee	32	56
Ohio	59	19
Michigan	37	4
Arkansas	17	125
West Virginia	16	101
Minnesota	26	21
Mississippi	12	157
Kansas	14	75
Alabama	24	95
Virginia	42	36
Georgia	46	40
North Carolina	46	22
Oklahoma	18	91
Nebraska	11	62
South Carolina	26	74
Pennsylvania	97	14
South Dakota	8	257
District of Columbia	10	51
Louisiana	24	68
Maryland	26	17
New York	129	6
New Jersey	27	20
North Dakota	6	213
Connecticut	20	8
Texas	74	18
Vermont	10	119
Colorado	21	48
Massachusetts	69	2
Rhode Island	9	66
Florida	49	24
New Hampshire	11	84
New Mexico	7	94
Maine	13	163
Montana	7	131
Utah	10	47
Arizona	10	28
Idaho	7	142
Nevada	6	132
Oregon	18	63
Washington	27	5
California	123	1
Puerto Rico	13	436
Alaska	4	154
Hawaii	6	88