Best Colleges in Illinois 2026

Illinois offers strong educational opportunities across 59 qualifying institutions, with both public and private schools earning top recognition. The state's leading universities demonstrate excellence through high graduation rates, strong faculty-to-student ratios, and impressive post-graduation outcomes. Three of the top five schools are private nonprofits, reflecting the competitive landscape between well-funded private institutions and quality public education.

When evaluating Illinois colleges, students should examine factors like academic program strength, campus resources, financial aid packages, and career placement rates. Location also matters, as schools range from urban Chicago campuses to college towns downstate. Research each institution's specific offerings in your field of interest, as program quality can vary significantly even within the same university.

Schools Ranked

$56,915

Avg. Earnings

63.6%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Graduation Rate	Median Earnings	Acceptance Rate	In-State Tuition
1	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois	84.9%	$81,054	44.8%	$16,004
2	University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois	94.9%	$91,885	5.4%	$66,939
3	Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois	95.9%	$89,363	7.2%	$65,997
4	Methodist College Peoria, Illinois	75.0%	$69,800	33.3%	$18,008
5	Morrison Institute of Technology Morrison, Illinois	66.7%	$63,571		$19,900
6	Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, Illinois	82.5%	$70,871	42.2%	$55,704
7	Olney Central College Olney, Illinois	62.1%	$37,533		$4,390
8	University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, Illinois	60.3%	$68,740	78.7%	$14,338
9	Chamberlain University-Illinois Addison, Illinois	50.0%	$92,405	90.9%	$20,604
10	Wabash Valley College Mount Carmel, Illinois	59.2%	$37,533		$4,390
11	Rend Lake College Ina, Illinois	60.4%	$35,775		$4,500
12	Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, Illinois	72.4%	$82,592	61.4%	$51,763
13	William Rainey Harper College Palatine, Illinois	45.6%	$48,071		$3,822
14	Lake Land College Mattoon, Illinois	53.5%	$38,877		$4,280
15	Heartland Community College Normal, Illinois	51.8%	$40,768		$5,460
16	Illinois State University Normal, Illinois	66.3%	$62,117	86.2%	$16,021
17	Sauk Valley Community College Dixon, Illinois	51.5%	$40,458		$5,190
18	Frontier Community College Fairfield, Illinois	53.3%	$37,533		$4,390
19	Pacific College of Health and Science Chicago, Illinois	67.9%	$26,209		$7,508
20	Worsham College of Mortuary Science Wheeling, Illinois	69.2%	$61,574	76.5%	$24,800
21	Lincoln Christian University Lincoln, Illinois	58.2%	$43,038		$15,400
22	University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, Illinois	61.4%	$57,103	82.0%	$12,252
23	Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, Illinois	63.9%	$55,700	70.7%	$20,325
24	Elgin Community College Elgin, Illinois	41.1%	$45,516		$3,180
25	Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove, Illinois	41.0%	$44,788		$3,432