36 Best colleges for Astrophysics and Astronomy 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 Astrophysics and Astronomy. A graph of 4.32M citations received by 83.7K academic papers made by 36 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 Astrophysics and Astronomy

#10 in the United States

#10 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 Astrophysics and Astronomy

#18 in the United States

#19 in North America

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

3. Northwestern University

Evanston

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#30 in the United States

#32 in North America

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

4. University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#72 in the United States

#82 in North America

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

5. Illinois Institute of Technology

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#173 in the United States

#200 in North America

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

6. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

Carbondale

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#207 in the United States

#235 in North America

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

7. Northern Illinois University

DeKalb

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#217 in the United States

#246 in North America

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

8. Loyola University Chicago

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#228 in the United States

#260 in North America

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

9. DePaul University

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#265 in the United States

#301 in North America

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

10. Illinois State University

Normal

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#278 in the United States

#315 in North America

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

11. Illinois College

Jacksonville

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#327 in the United States

#369 in North America

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

12. Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Edwardsville

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#351 in the United States

#395 in North America

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

13. Bradley University

Peoria

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#387 in the United States

#433 in North America

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

14. Eastern Illinois University

Charleston

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#388 in the United States

#434 in North America

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

15. Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#403 in the United States

#451 in North America

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

16. NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia

Evanston

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#416 in the United States

#464 in North America

Enrollment: 80
Male:Female: 25:75

17. Rush University

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#446 in the United States

#496 in North America

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

18. Western Illinois University

Macomb

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#453 in the United States

#504 in North America

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

19. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

North Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#473 in the United States

#525 in North America

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

20. Saint Xavier University

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#486 in the United States

#538 in North America

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

21. School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#523 in the United States

#576 in North America

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

22. University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#535 in the United States

#588 in North America

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

23. Saint Anthony College of Nursing

Rockford

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#546 in the United States

#599 in North America

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

24. Roosevelt University

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#555 in the United States

#608 in North America

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

25. Lake Forest College

Lake Forest

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#561 in the United States

#614 in North America

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

26. Knox College

Galesburg

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#564 in the United States

#618 in North America

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

27. Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#616 in the United States

#671 in North America

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

28. Wheaton College - Illinois

Wheaton

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#660 in the United States

#719 in North America

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

29. North Central College

Naperville

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#783 in the United States

#847 in North America

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

30. Augustana College

Rock Island

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#826 in the United States

#892 in North America

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

31. Illinois College of Optometry

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#870 in the United States

#937 in North America

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

32. Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#876 in the United States

#944 in North America

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

33. Lewis University

Romeoville

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#895 in the United States

#963 in North America

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

34. Chicago State University

Chicago

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#898 in the United States

#966 in North America

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

35. Monmouth College

Monmouth

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#902 in the United States

#970 in North America

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

36. Benedictine University

Lisle

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#920 in the United States

#988 in North America

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

Closest to Illinois states to learn Astrophysics and Astronomy

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Indiana	20	33
Missouri	16	44
Iowa	11	53
Kentucky	13	68
Wisconsin	21	19
Tennessee	20	63
Ohio	35	21
Michigan	21	8
Arkansas	9	142
West Virginia	6	107
Minnesota	21	28
Mississippi	7	161
Kansas	10	82
Alabama	16	91
Virginia	29	36
Georgia	25	32
North Carolina	25	45
Oklahoma	9	71
Nebraska	7	93
South Carolina	14	97
Pennsylvania	64	12
South Dakota	7	239
District of Columbia	8	101
Louisiana	17	64
Maryland	18	14
New York	85	9
New Jersey	18	6
North Dakota	3	206
Connecticut	18	22
Texas	53	15
Vermont	4	169
Colorado	14	20
Massachusetts	48	4
Rhode Island	6	51
Florida	27	29
New Hampshire	8	75
New Mexico	6	69
Maine	7	202
Montana	4	109
Utah	6	50
Arizona	5	7
Idaho	4	171
Oregon	14	74
Washington	16	11
California	73	1
Puerto Rico	6	305
Alaska	3	117
Hawaii	4	61