45 Best Public Health 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 Health. A graph of 4.32M citations received by 87.6K academic papers made by 45 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 Health

#20 in the United States

#22 in North America

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

2. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Public Health

#32 in the United States

#35 in North America

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

3. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

Champaign

For Public Health

#35 in the United States

#40 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Public Health

#36 in the United States

#41 in North America

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

5. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Public Health

#133 in the United States

#154 in North America

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

6. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Public Health

#171 in the United States

#194 in North America

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

7. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Public Health

#189 in the United States

#214 in North America

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

8. Rush University

Chicago

For Public Health

#222 in the United States

#249 in North America

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

9. Illinois State University

Normal

For Public Health

#224 in the United States

#251 in North America

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

10. DePaul University

Chicago

For Public Health

#234 in the United States

#263 in North America

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

11. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Public Health

#255 in the United States

#286 in North America

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

12. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Public Health

#262 in the United States

#294 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

13. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Public Health

#285 in the United States

#319 in North America

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

14. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Public Health

#323 in the United States

#360 in North America

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

15. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Public Health

#378 in the United States

#422 in North America

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

16. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Public Health

#387 in the United States

#432 in North America

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

17. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Public Health

#395 in the United States

#440 in North America

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

18. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Public Health

#424 in the United States

#471 in North America

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

19. North Central College

Naperville

For Public Health

#480 in the United States

#529 in North America

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

20. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Public Health

#517 in the United States

#566 in North America

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

21. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Public Health

#524 in the United States

#573 in North America

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

22. Greenville University

Greenville

For Public Health

#546 in the United States

#599 in North America

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

23. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Public Health

#549 in the United States

#602 in North America

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

24. Bradley University

Peoria

For Public Health

#551 in the United States

#604 in North America

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

25. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Public Health

#614 in the United States

#669 in North America

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

26. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Public Health

#681 in the United States

#741 in North America

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

27. Governors State University

University Park

For Public Health

#684 in the United States

#744 in North America

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

28. Erikson Institute

Chicago

For Public Health

#764 in the United States

#827 in North America

Enrollment: 297
Male:Female: 3:97

29. Blackburn College

Carlinville

For Public Health

#780 in the United States

#844 in North America

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

30. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Public Health

#783 in the United States

#847 in North America

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

31. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Public Health

#784 in the United States

#848 in North America

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

32. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Public Health

#798 in the United States

#863 in North America

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

33. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Public Health

#873 in the United States

#940 in North America

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

34. Knox College

Galesburg

For Public Health

#887 in the United States

#955 in North America

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

35. Elmhurst College

Elmhurst

For Public Health

#892 in the United States

#960 in North America

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

36. National University of Health Sciences

Lombard

For Public Health

#893 in the United States

#961 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 511
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1906

37. Millikin University

Decatur

For Public Health

#903 in the United States

#971 in North America

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

38. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Public Health

#916 in the United States

#984 in North America

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

39. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Public Health

#917 in the United States

#985 in North America

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

40. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Public Health

#929 in the United States

#998 in North America

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

41. Adler University

Chicago

For Public Health

#942 in the United States

#1011 in North America

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

42. University of St Francis

Joliet

For Public Health

#976 in the United States

#1045 in North America

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

43. Dominican University

River Forest

For Public Health

#978 in the United States

#1047 in North America

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

44. Rockford University

Rockford

For Public Health

#993 in the United States

#1063 in North America

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

45. Aurora University

Aurora

For Public Health

#1025 in the United States

#1096 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Public Health

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	25	63
Missouri	20	29
Iowa	10	42
Kentucky	16	57
Wisconsin	22	15
Tennessee	24	52
Ohio	39	27
Michigan	23	4
Arkansas	12	119
West Virginia	11	105
Minnesota	22	12
Mississippi	9	158
Kansas	9	101
Alabama	17	37
Virginia	30	58
Georgia	29	18
North Carolina	28	6
Oklahoma	10	137
Nebraska	7	103
South Carolina	18	64
Pennsylvania	68	11
South Dakota	7	238
District of Columbia	8	65
Louisiana	17	66
Maryland	22	2
New York	96	5
New Jersey	19	28
North Dakota	4	172
Connecticut	19	13
Texas	58	38
Vermont	5	91
Colorado	17	43
Massachusetts	52	1
Rhode Island	7	41
Florida	35	26
New Hampshire	7	96
New Mexico	5	73
Maine	10	201
Montana	4	123
Utah	7	31
Arizona	8	33
Idaho	5	148
Nevada	4	141
Oregon	16	59
Washington	18	3
California	92	7
Puerto Rico	12	272
Alaska	4	193
Hawaii	5	89