Best Business colleges in Illinois

Graduates in Illinois with a degree in business have many career paths to consider when applying to their first jobs out of college, and while some students may prefer to be their boss and take the entrepreneurial route, others may seek out locally owned and operated entities like AllState and Caterpillar. 

Students typically enroll in courses that teach them about subjects such as asset investment, capital fundraising, and trading. Most programs include opportunities for students to connect with faculty in research positions, which can help provide added exposure to real-life scenarios before they leave school for the professional world. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports over 345,000 business and financial operations professionals in Illinois earning a mean salary of over $80,000. The highest rates of employment in the state are in the Chicago and Springfield metro areas, which can help those that would like to increase their chances of landing a job.

Best Business colleges in Illinois for 2023

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Northwestern University offers 44 Business degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2020, 2,641 Business students graduated with students earning 2,115 Master's degrees, 357 Bachelor's degrees, 134 Certificates, and 35 Doctoral degrees.

University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
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University of Chicago offers 14 Business degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 1,857 Business students graduated with students earning 1,285 Master's degrees, 423 Bachelor's degrees, 96 Certificates, and 53 Doctoral degrees.

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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers 26 Business degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2020, 2,733 Business students graduated with students earning 1,627 Bachelor's degrees, 1,080 Master's degrees, and 26 Doctoral degrees.

DePaul University
Chicago, IL

Real-world opportunities meet solid academic preparation at DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business. The school is based in Chicago’s Loop near the heart of the city’s financial district. The university maintains plenty of corporate ties, leading DePaul to rank among the nation’s top 10 for providing students with internship opportunities. Students also are encouraged to expand their horizons in the global marketplace through short-term study abroad trips. Twenty-eight percent of DePaul’s graduating class in 2013 earned a degree in business, making it the school’s most popular major. Academic divisions include accountancy and management information systems, hospitality leadership, economics, finance, marketing, management, and real estate. DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business offers a variety of master’s degree programs (including flexible evening and weekend options) and an executive doctorate in business administration. Of special note are DePaul’s undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship programs. The annual “Launch DePaul” event gives DePaul students and recent alumni the chance to pitch their business proposals to professional investors, receive expert advice, and compete for cash prizes.

University of Illinois Chicago offers 21 Business degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 1,256 Business students graduated with students earning 850 Bachelor's degrees, 386 Master's degrees, and 20 Doctoral degrees.

Illinois State University offers 16 Business degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize suburb. In 2020, 1,423 Business students graduated with students earning 1,193 Bachelor's degrees, 195 Master's degrees, and 35 Certificates.

Northern Illinois University offers 15 Business degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small suburb. In 2020, 986 Business students graduated with students earning 695 Bachelor's degrees, 289 Master's degrees, and 2 Doctoral degrees.

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Loyola University Chicago offers 36 Business degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 955 Business students graduated with students earning 641 Bachelor's degrees, 224 Master's degrees, 70 Certificates, and 20 Associate's degrees.

McKendree University
Lebanon, IL

McKendree University offers 16 Business degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2020, 228 Business students graduated with students earning 164 Bachelor's degrees, 61 Master's degrees, and 3 Associate's degrees.

Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL

Roosevelt University offers 26 Business degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2020, 649 Business students graduated with students earning 336 Bachelor's degrees, 242 Master's degrees, and 71 Associate's degrees.

Find local colleges with Business majors in Illinois

Top schools offering Business degrees in Illinois

List of all Business colleges in Illinois

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
Northwestern University Logo Northwestern University Evanston, IL
5/5
15 : 1 22,603
University of Chicago Logo University of Chicago Chicago, IL
5/5
12 : 1 17,834
DeVry University-Illinois Logo DeVry University-Illinois Chicago, IL
4/5
336 : 1 20,832
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Logo University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL
4/5
22 : 1 52,679
DePaul University Logo DePaul University Chicago, IL
5/5
25 : 1 21,922