Best colleges in Illinois

Enjoy a Fresh Wind of New Horizons

Learning in the Land of Lincoln

Moving to Illinois means learning a whole new accent. But, the education options in the Prairie State make it worth it. Some pretty impactful politicians have called Illinois home, including Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama, making it an inspiring place for any political science or history major. And the Chicago skyline is packed with job opportunities for business majors at one of the countless banking and finance companies. Nine four-year institutions and over 100 smaller colleges and universities reside in Illinois.* After graduation, explore plenty of out-of-the-box employment options including Fannie Mae, CareerBuilder, and Black Dog Books.

During your downtime, take in some history at the Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, or cruise on down the scenic byway of Route 66.* Just need a few hours to relax? Check out Harry’s Sports Grill in Countryside with its live music, trivia nights and recreational games like darts and billiards. For something a bit fancier, enjoy a glass of wine at D.O.C. Wine Bar, just outside of Chicago. Visit Shedd Aquarium, one of the best in the nation, for some underwater learning, or get some good eats in Chinatown. Or proudly wear your black and red when you cheer on the Blackhawks or the Bulls. Come explore Illinois with its perfect combination of open prairie and bustling city life. You’ll be blown away.

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*Wikipedia, “Colleges and universities in Illinois” *www.enjoyillinois.com/thingstodo

Best Four Year Universities in Illinois

University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
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University of Chicago offers 221 degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 6,994 students graduated with students earning 3,914 Master's degrees, 1,689 Bachelor's degrees, 768 Doctoral degrees, and 623 Certificates.

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Northwestern University, or Northwestern, is a private school founded in 1851. Today the university has an undergraduate enrollment of just over 20,000 students. Built in suburban Chicago in the lakeside town of Evanston, Northwestern’s campus is on the smaller side with just under 250 acres along with a 25-acre campus in downtown Chicago. Students at Northwestern take classes on a semester-based academic calendar, and tuition for in-state students is roughly $55,000, just below the cost of attendance at a local rival, the University of Chicago. Northwestern tends to offer small undergraduate classes under 20 students and boasts a graduation rate that exceeds 90%. 

Northwestern provides a variety of academic programs depending on student interest and is known nationally for its Theatre program and Kellogg School of Management. Northwestern also has high-ranking departments including the Pritzker School of Law, the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. 

Graduates from Northwestern University have gone on to found many worldwide brands and organizations including Guggenheim Partners, Aon Corporation, and Groupon. During their time at school, students have the opportunity to explore downtown Chicago and eat at local Italian restaurant Uno’s for Chicago deep-dish pizza or see the Cubs play at Wrigley Field. Notable alumni include comedians Seth Meyers and Stephan Colbert, writer George R.R. Martin, and ESPN commentator Michael Wilbon.

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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers 404 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2023, 16,613 students graduated with students earning 8,310 Bachelor's degrees, 7,130 Master's degrees, 1,137 Doctoral degrees, and 36 Certificates.

Illinois Wesleyan University offers 47 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2023, 346 students graduated with students earning 346 Bachelor's degrees.

Illinois Institute of Technology offers 178 degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 2,116 students graduated with students earning 1,208 Master's degrees, 615 Bachelor's degrees, and 293 Doctoral degrees.

Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL

Lake Forest College offers 44 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 379 students graduated with students earning 360 Bachelor's degrees, and 19 Master's degrees.

Augustana College
Rock Island, IL

Augustana College offers 76 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2023, 545 students graduated with students earning 528 Bachelor's degrees, and 17 Master's degrees.

Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL

Wheaton College offers 61 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 709 students graduated with students earning 563 Bachelor's degrees, 137 Master's degrees, 6 Doctoral degrees, and 3 Certificates.

Principia College
Elsah, IL

Principia College offers 38 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a outlying rural area. In 2023, 71 students graduated with students earning 71 Bachelor's degrees.

North Central College
Naperville, IL

North Central College offers 119 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 707 students graduated with students earning 582 Bachelor's degrees, and 125 Master's degrees.

Best Community Colleges in Illinois

Worsham College of Mortuary Science offers 2 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 100 students graduated with students earning 87 Associate's degrees, and 13 Certificates.

Taylor Business Institute offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 16 students graduated with students earning 16 Associate's degrees.

Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park offers 8 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 676 students graduated with students earning 361 Certificates, and 315 Associate's degrees.

Morrison Institute of Technology offers 2 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, two-year college in a faraway rural area. In 2023, 29 students graduated with students earning 29 Associate's degrees.

Olney Central College offers 50 degree programs. It's a very small, public, two-year college in a remote town. In 2023, 461 students graduated with students earning 249 Associate's degrees, and 212 Certificates.

Fox College
Tinley Park, IL

Fox College offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 183 students graduated with students earning 183 Associate's degrees.

Midwestern Career College offers 17 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 179 students graduated with students earning 152 Associate's degrees, and 27 Certificates.

Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College offers 44 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2023, 329 students graduated with students earning 253 Certificates, and 76 Associate's degrees.

Lake Land College
Mattoon, IL

Lake Land College offers 117 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a outlying rural area. In 2023, 1,598 students graduated with students earning 800 Certificates, and 798 Associate's degrees.

Wabash Valley College
Mount Carmel, IL

Wabash Valley College offers 47 degree programs. It's a very small, public, two-year college in a faraway town. In 2023, 189 students graduated with students earning 139 Associate's degrees, and 50 Certificates.

Find local colleges in Illinois

List of all colleges in Illinois

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
University of Chicago Logo University of Chicago Chicago, IL
5/5
11 : 1 18,339
Northwestern University Logo Northwestern University Evanston, IL
5/5
15 : 1 23,203
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Logo University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL
4/5
23 : 1 56,563
Illinois Wesleyan University Logo Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL
5/5
15 : 1 1,576
Illinois Institute of Technology Logo Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL
5/5
24 : 1 8,563