31 Best Political Science schools in Chicago, IL

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 4.56M citations received by 136K 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: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $27,979

2. University of Illinois at Chicago

For Political Science

#4 in Illinois

#44 in the United States

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

3. DePaul University

For Political Science

#5 in Illinois

#101 in the United States

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

4. Loyola University Chicago

For Political Science

#6 in Illinois

#116 in the United States

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

For Political Science

#9 in Illinois

#174 in the United States

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

6. Rush University

For Political Science

#15 in Illinois

#399 in the United States

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

7. Roosevelt University

For Political Science

#21 in Illinois

#509 in the United States

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

8. Northeastern Illinois University

For Political Science

#22 in Illinois

#529 in the United States

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

9. Chicago State University

For Political Science

#27 in Illinois

#681 in the United States

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

10. John Marshall Law School

For Political Science

#28 in Illinois

#686 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Founded: 1899

11. National Louis University

For Political Science

#30 in Illinois

#750 in the United States

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

12. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

For Political Science

#32 in Illinois

#764 in the United States

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

13. Saint Xavier University

For Political Science

#33 in Illinois

#865 in the United States

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

14. Erikson Institute

For Political Science

#36 in Illinois

#920 in the United States

Enrollment: 368
Male:Female: 2:98

15. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

For Political Science

#38 in Illinois

#979 in the United States

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

16. Columbia College Chicago

For Political Science

#41 in Illinois

#1001 in the United States

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

17. DeVry University - Illinois

For Political Science

#46 in Illinois

#1098 in the United States

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

18. North Park University

For Political Science

#47 in Illinois

#1120 in the United States

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

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

For Political Science

#50 in Illinois

#1161 in the United States

Enrollment: 76
Male:Female: 47:53

20. Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

For Political Science

#51 in Illinois

#1193 in the United States

Enrollment: 114
Male:Female: 44:56

21. Saint Augustine College

For Political Science

#56 in Illinois

#1235 in the United States

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

22. Adler University

For Political Science

#58 in Illinois

#1244 in the United States

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

23. Catholic Theological Union at Chicago

For Political Science

#60 in Illinois

#1280 in the United States

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

24. Spertus College

For Political Science

#63 in Illinois

#1359 in the United States

Enrollment: 97
Male:Female: 37:63

25. McCormick Theological Seminary

For Political Science

#65 in Illinois

#1402 in the United States

Enrollment: 133
Male:Female: 63:37

26. Illinois College of Optometry

For Political Science

#69 in Illinois

#1466 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 483
Male:Female: 26:74
Founded: 1872

27. Kendall College

For Political Science

#70 in Illinois

#1487 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

#71 in Illinois

#1503 in the United States

Enrollment: 202
Male:Female: 42:58

29. Institute for Clinical Social Work

For Political Science

#72 in Illinois

#1516 in the United States

Enrollment: 120
Male:Female: 20:80

30. Moody Bible Institute

For Political Science

#74 in Illinois

#1526 in the United States

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

31. Meadville Lombard Theological School

For Political Science

#78 in Illinois

#1617 in the United States

Enrollment: 69
Male:Female: 33:67

Distance, km 📏 km	University	Country rank 🏆	City
19	Northwestern University	31	Evanston, Illinois
21	NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia	434	Evanston, Illinois
35	Purdue University Northwest	461	Hammond, Indiana
39	Wheaton College - Illinois	460	Wheaton, Illinois
44	Lake Forest College	675	Lake Forest, Illinois
44	North Central College	754	Naperville, Illinois
49	Governors State University	722	University Park, Illinois
50	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	612	North Chicago, Illinois
68	Valparaiso University	311	Valparaiso, Indiana
87	University of Wisconsin - Parkside	621	Kenosha, Wisconsin