2024 Best Colleges in Illinois
85
Colleges
$56,772
Avg Salary*
52%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Top Illinois Colleges ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Our analysis looked at 85 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include freshman retention, graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and post graduate earnings, among other things.
Find out more about our ranking methodology.
Customizing Your List
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!
Top Colleges in Illinois
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found University of Chicago to be the best school for overall quality in Illinois in this year’s ranking. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 6,805 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 90%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UChicago make an average of $76,730 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of Chicago
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Northwestern University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Illinois. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 9,290 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $80,033 during the early years of their career..
Full Northwestern University Report
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges in Illinois list means University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. This large public school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 15,117 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UIUC make an average of $71,539 per year during the early years of their career.
Read More…
A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges in Illinois list means Loyola University Chicago is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 5,599 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Chicago is $63,232 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Loyola University Chicago
Out of the 85 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Concordia University, Chicago landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in River Forest, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 2,010 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University, Chicago make an average of $46,133 per year during the early years of their career.
Read More…
With a ranking of #6, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois list.Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 8,910 students in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $59,780 during the early years of their career..
Read More…
DePaul University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the large private not-for-profit school handed out 6,382 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from DePaul go into careers with an average salary of $63,489 during the early years of their career.
Read More…
Illinois State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges in Illinois list. Located in Normal, Illinois, the large public school awarded 5,907 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State is $55,457 during the early years of their career.
Read More…
Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois ranking, coming in at #9.Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,044 students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $77,682 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Illinois Institute of Technology
College of Lake County landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. College of Lake County is a public institution located in Grayslake, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,676 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from College of Lake County is $36,832 during the early years of their career.
Full College of Lake County Report
Wheaton College Illinois landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 857 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 82%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Wheaton College Illinois make an average of $53,473 a year.
Read full report on Wheaton College Illinois
Rasmussen University - Illinois ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges in Illinois list. Rasmussen University - Illinois is a private for-profit institution located in Rockford, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,107 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $35,667 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on Rasmussen University - Illinois
Lake Forest College landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. Located in Lake Forest, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 462 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest go into careers with an average salary of $59,021 during the early years of their career.
Full Lake Forest College Report
With a ranking of #14, Bradley University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois list. Bradley is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 1,675 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Bradley is $61,889 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Bradley University
Aurora University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Aurora, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 2,259 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $49,800 during the early years of their career..
Full Aurora University Report
Columbia College Chicago ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges in Illinois list. Columbia College Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 1,409 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia make an average of $41,679 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Columbia College Chicago Report
National Louis University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges in Illinois list. NLU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,175 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from NLU make an average of $45,402 a year.
Read More…
Elmhurst University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. Elmhurst University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Elmhurst, Illinois that handed out 1,024 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from Elmhurst make an average of $56,183 a year.
Full Elmhurst University Report
University of St Francis ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges in Illinois list. University of Saint Francis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Joliet, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1,070 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from University of Saint Francis is $59,498 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of St Francis
Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. Illinois Wesleyan is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bloomington, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 393 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Illinois Wesleyan make an average of $66,966 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Illinois Wesleyan University
Augustana College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. Augustana is located in Rock Island, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 914 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Augustana is $58,227 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Augustana College
William Rainey Harper College landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. Harper College is located in Palatine, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4,517 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Harper College make an average of $44,529 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on William Rainey Harper College
Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges in Illinois list. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 3,453 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $48,803 during the early years of their career..
Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Report
Northern Illinois University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4,499 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from NIU make an average of $52,792 per year during the early years of their career.
Read More…
North Central College landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in Illinois ranking. North Central is located in Naperville, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 874 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
The low student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from North Central is $54,460 during the early years of their career.
Full North Central College Report
college factual
