31 Best Political Science schools in Chicago, IL

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Chicago ranked based on their research performance in Political Science. A graph of 4.81M citations received by 139K academic papers made by 31 universities in Chicago 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

For Political Science

#1 in Illinois

#9 in the United States

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

2. University of Illinois at Chicago

For Political Science

#4 in Illinois

#44 in the United States

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

3. DePaul University

For Political Science

#5 in Illinois

#107 in the United States

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

4. Loyola University Chicago

For Political Science

#6 in Illinois

#116 in the United States

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

For Political Science

#9 in Illinois

#175 in the United States

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

6. Rush University

For Political Science

#15 in Illinois

#399 in the United States

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

7. Roosevelt University

For Political Science

#21 in Illinois

#513 in the United States

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

8. Northeastern Illinois University

For Political Science

#22 in Illinois

#531 in the United States

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

9. Chicago State University

For Political Science

#27 in Illinois

#683 in the United States

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

10. John Marshall Law School

For Political Science

#28 in Illinois

#688 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

11. National Louis University

For Political Science

#30 in Illinois

#755 in the United States

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

12. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

For Political Science

#32 in Illinois

#774 in the United States

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

13. Saint Xavier University

For Political Science

#33 in Illinois

#860 in the United States

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

14. Erikson Institute

For Political Science

#37 in Illinois

#928 in the United States

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

15. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

For Political Science

#38 in Illinois

#982 in the United States

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

16. Columbia College Chicago

For Political Science

#40 in Illinois

#1001 in the United States

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

17. DeVry University - Illinois

For Political Science

#46 in Illinois

#1096 in the United States

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

18. North Park University

For Political Science

#47 in Illinois

#1125 in the United States

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

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

For Political Science

#50 in Illinois

#1172 in the United States

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 41:59

20. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

For Political Science

#51 in Illinois

#1205 in the United States

Enrollment: 101
Male:Female: 46:54

21. Adler University

For Political Science

#53 in Illinois

#1220 in the United States

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

22. Saint Augustine College

For Political Science

#57 in Illinois

#1238 in the United States

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

23. Catholic Theological Union at Chicago

For Political Science

#59 in Illinois

#1256 in the United States

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

24. Spertus College

For Political Science

#63 in Illinois

#1369 in the United States

Enrollment: 89
Male:Female: 38:62

25. McCormick Theological Seminary

For Political Science

#65 in Illinois

#1406 in the United States

Enrollment: 125
Male:Female: 55:45

26. Illinois College of Optometry

For Political Science

#69 in Illinois

#1464 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 474
Male:Female: 26:74
Founded: 1872

27. Kendall College

For Political Science

#71 in Illinois

#1496 in the United States

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

28. Chicago Theological Seminary

For Political Science

#72 in Illinois

#1510 in the United States

Enrollment: 215
Male:Female: 46:54

29. Institute for Clinical Social Work

For Political Science

#73 in Illinois

#1516 in the United States

Enrollment: 121
Male:Female: 24:76

30. Moody Bible Institute

For Political Science

#74 in Illinois

#1526 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Net Price: $21,614
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $12,742

31. Meadville Lombard Theological School

For Political Science

#78 in Illinois

#1620 in the United States

Enrollment: 62
Male:Female: 40:60

Distance, km 📏 km	University	Country rank 🏆	City
19	Northwestern University	31	Evanston, Illinois
21	NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia	435	Evanston, Illinois
35	Purdue University Northwest	460	Hammond, Indiana
39	Wheaton College - Illinois	459	Wheaton, Illinois
44	Lake Forest College	674	Lake Forest, Illinois
49	Governors State University	722	University Park, Illinois
50	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	612	North Chicago, Illinois
68	Valparaiso University	312	Valparaiso, Indiana
87	University of Wisconsin - Parkside	628	Kenosha, Wisconsin
94	Northern Illinois University	158	DeKalb, Illinois