20 Best Public Policy / Administration schools 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 Public Policy / Administration. A graph of 235K citations received by 9.38K academic papers made by 20 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 Public Policy / Administration

#12 in the United States

#13 in North America

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

2. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Public Policy / Administration

#43 in the United States

#46 in North America

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

3. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Public Policy / Administration

#49 in the United States

#53 in North America

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

4. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Public Policy / Administration

#51 in the United States

#56 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Public Policy / Administration

#91 in the United States

#104 in North America

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

6. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Public Policy / Administration

#128 in the United States

#148 in North America

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

7. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Public Policy / Administration

#132 in the United States

#152 in North America

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

8. DePaul University

Chicago

For Public Policy / Administration

#136 in the United States

#158 in North America

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

9. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Public Policy / Administration

#177 in the United States

#203 in North America

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

10. Illinois State University

Normal

For Public Policy / Administration

#186 in the United States

#212 in North America

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

11. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Public Policy / Administration

#248 in the United States

#276 in North America

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

12. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Public Policy / Administration

#300 in the United States

#336 in North America

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

13. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Public Policy / Administration

#307 in the United States

#343 in North America

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

14. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Public Policy / Administration

#359 in the United States

#398 in North America

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

15. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Public Policy / Administration

#379 in the United States

#419 in North America

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

16. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Public Policy / Administration

#383 in the United States

#423 in North America

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

17. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Public Policy / Administration

#397 in the United States

#438 in North America

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

18. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Public Policy / Administration

#443 in the United States

#489 in North America

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

19. Bradley University

Peoria

For Public Policy / Administration

#457 in the United States

#503 in North America

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

20. Rush University

Chicago

For Public Policy / Administration

#488 in the United States

#539 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Public Policy / Administration

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	10	38
Missouri	6	16
Iowa	5	59
Kentucky	6	60
Wisconsin	10	17
Tennessee	11	45
Ohio	17	18
Michigan	9	4
Arkansas	6	118
Minnesota	10	28
Mississippi	5	179
Kansas	5	56
Alabama	8	130
Virginia	15	31
Georgia	13	47
North Carolina	15	9
Oklahoma	4	76
Nebraska	4	79
South Carolina	8	10
Pennsylvania	24	8
South Dakota	3	318
District of Columbia	6	23
Louisiana	6	98
Maryland	11	11
New York	52	6
New Jersey	11	24
North Dakota	2	229
Connecticut	9	2
Texas	28	41
Colorado	9	58
Massachusetts	26	3
Rhode Island	4	108
Florida	15	32
New Hampshire	3	80
Maine	6	203
Utah	4	66
Arizona	3	20
Idaho	3	163
Oregon	7	102
Washington	6	7
California	48	1