62 Best colleges for Linguistics 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 Linguistics. A graph of 5.17M citations received by 128K academic papers made by 62 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 Linguistics

#9 in the United States

#10 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

2. University of Chicago

Chicago

For Linguistics

#20 in the United States

#22 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Linguistics

#28 in the United States

#30 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Linguistics

#54 in the United States

#63 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 80%

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Linguistics

#149 in the United States

#172 in North America

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

6. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Linguistics

#153 in the United States

#178 in North America

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

7. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Linguistics

#174 in the United States

#200 in North America

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

8. Illinois State University

Normal

For Linguistics

#178 in the United States

#204 in North America

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

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#190 in the United States

#221 in North America

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

10. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Linguistics

#194 in the United States

#225 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $24,796

11. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Linguistics

#233 in the United States

#264 in North America

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

12. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Linguistics

#276 in the United States

#310 in North America

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

13. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Linguistics

#317 in the United States

#355 in North America

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

14. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Linguistics

#331 in the United States

#371 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 39
Male:Female: 76:24

15. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Linguistics

#392 in the United States

#437 in North America

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

16. Bradley University

Peoria

For Linguistics

#404 in the United States

#449 in North America

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

17. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Linguistics

#406 in the United States

#451 in North America

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

18. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Linguistics

#407 in the United States

#452 in North America

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

19. Rush University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#426 in the United States

#471 in North America

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

20. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Linguistics

#454 in the United States

#501 in North America

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

21. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Linguistics

#461 in the United States

#509 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

22. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#473 in the United States

#522 in North America

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

23. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Linguistics

#555 in the United States

#610 in North America

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

24. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#619 in the United States

#677 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,366

25. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Linguistics

#666 in the United States

#724 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $55,631
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,050

26. National Louis University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#670 in the United States

#729 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $13,150
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $11,056

27. Knox College

Galesburg

For Linguistics

#677 in the United States

#736 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,709

28. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Linguistics

#697 in the United States

#758 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average SAT: 1292
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $31,225

29. Governors State University

University Park

For Linguistics

#710 in the United States

#773 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $11,455
Enrollment: 4,397

30. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Linguistics

#714 in the United States

#777 in North America

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

31. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#735 in the United States

#799 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $18,194
Enrollment: 2,238

32. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Linguistics

#740 in the United States

#804 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $24,629

33. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#766 in the United States

#830 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $11,318
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $31,985

34. North Central College

Naperville

For Linguistics

#861 in the United States

#930 in North America

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

35. Millikin University

Decatur

For Linguistics

#872 in the United States

#941 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 995
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,813

36. Dominican University

River Forest

For Linguistics

#915 in the United States

#987 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 990
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $13,402

37. Columbia College Chicago

Chicago

For Linguistics

#937 in the United States

#1010 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Net Price: $29,473
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,780

38. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Linguistics

#964 in the United States

#1038 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $17,768

39. John Marshall Law School

Chicago

For Linguistics

#985 in the United States

#1059 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

40. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Linguistics

#996 in the United States

#1070 in North America

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

41. North Park University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1003 in the United States

#1077 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Net Price: $20,372
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,476

42. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Linguistics

#1021 in the United States

#1095 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $18,959

43. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Linguistics

#1023 in the United States

#1097 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $14,045

44. Aurora University

Aurora

For Linguistics

#1029 in the United States

#1104 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1025
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $19,053

45. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Linguistics

#1050 in the United States

#1125 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $23,139
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,911

46. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Linguistics

#1072 in the United States

#1147 in North America

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

47. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1119 in the United States

#1195 in North America

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

48. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Evanston

For Linguistics

#1121 in the United States

#1197 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 313
Male:Female: 44:56

49. DeVry University - Illinois

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1131 in the United States

#1208 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 865
Average ACT: 15
Net Price: $30,889

50. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Linguistics

#1142 in the United States

#1219 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Net Price: $18,460
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,456

51. Concordia University - Chicago

River Forest

For Linguistics

#1165 in the United States

#1243 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Net Price: $19,073
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $26,361

52. Greenville University

Greenville

For Linguistics

#1180 in the United States

#1259 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1001
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,799

53. Adler University

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1181 in the United States

#1260 in North America

Enrollment: 1,631
Male:Female: 19:81
Founded: 1952

54. Catholic Theological Union at Chicago

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1182 in the United States

#1261 in North America

Enrollment: 210
Male:Female: 64:36
Founded: 1968

55. Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais

For Linguistics

#1208 in the United States

#1287 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $21,281

56. Saint Augustine College

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1224 in the United States

#1303 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $8,310
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $14,748

57. Rockford University

Rockford

For Linguistics

#1228 in the United States

#1307 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $23,642

58. McCormick Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1267 in the United States

#1348 in North America

Enrollment: 125
Male:Female: 55:45

59. Kendall College

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1290 in the United States

#1372 in North America

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

60. Eureka College

Eureka

For Linguistics

#1293 in the United States

#1375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $19,128
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $20,489

61. Chicago Theological Seminary

Chicago

For Linguistics

#1302 in the United States

#1384 in North America

Enrollment: 215
Male:Female: 46:54

62. Northern Baptist Theological Seminary

Lisle

For Linguistics

#1307 in the United States

#1389 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Enrollment: 315
Male:Female: 58:42

Closest to Illinois states to learn Linguistics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	31	34
Missouri	32	37
Iowa	20	35
Kentucky	19	68
Wisconsin	27	16
Tennessee	29	45
Ohio	51	22
Michigan	30	4
Arkansas	16	148
West Virginia	13	116
Minnesota	25	26
Mississippi	11	180
Kansas	10	75
Alabama	22	80
Virginia	39	43
Georgia	37	44
North Carolina	34	27
Oklahoma	15	117
Nebraska	10	105
South Carolina	20	79
Pennsylvania	90	8
South Dakota	8	338
District of Columbia	8	57
Louisiana	20	82
Maryland	26	13
New York	117	7
New Jersey	24	23
North Dakota	5	213
Connecticut	20	11
Texas	68	18
Vermont	7	123
Colorado	18	51
Massachusetts	60	2
Rhode Island	9	61
Florida	39	36
New Hampshire	11	83
New Mexico	8	98
Maine	9	220
Montana	4	218
Utah	10	48
Arizona	9	30
Idaho	7	202
Nevada	5	143
Oregon	16	89
Washington	23	6
California	111	1
Puerto Rico	10	501
Alaska	3	332
Hawaii	6	107