Best Engineering colleges in Illinois
Best Engineering colleges in Illinois for 2026
Freshmen get their feet wet immediately with Illinois Engineering First-Year Experience. After four weeks of Engineering 100, students spend the rest of the course on a customized project. Past participants have done everything from creating a Helix wind turbine prototype using a 3D printer to building a machine to spread condiments on bagels. Such hands-on experiences continue in courses such as Learning in Community in which teams of students work on projects proposed by nonprofit organizations. You might help design a more cost-efficient prosthetic arm or construct footbridges for underprivileged Chinese villages. A Wall Street Journal survey of employers lists University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign engineering graduates among the top five most prepared for the workforce. We’re not surprised. In fact, over Winter Break, students may choose to do a one-day job shadow. Students experience a day in the life of an engineer at places such as Caterpillar, the Federal Aviation Administration, Intel Corp, and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The university’s effort to maintain ties with local employers also pays off upon graduation. Students on average receive two or more job offers, and the starting salary for those with a BS in engineering from U of I is about 8 percent higher than the national average.
Northwestern University offers 58 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2024, 1,211 Engineering students graduated with students earning 597 Master's degrees, 439 Bachelor's degrees, 167 Doctoral degrees, and 8 Certificates.
Illinois Institute of Technology offers 50 Engineering degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 875 Engineering students graduated with students earning 459 Master's degrees, 380 Bachelor's degrees, and 36 Doctoral degrees.
University of Illinois Chicago offers 40 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 1,109 Engineering students graduated with students earning 708 Bachelor's degrees, 292 Master's degrees, and 109 Doctoral degrees.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale offers 33 Engineering degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a faraway town. In 2024, 347 Engineering students graduated with students earning 229 Bachelor's degrees, 110 Master's degrees, and 8 Doctoral degrees.
College of DuPage offers 25 Engineering degree programs. It's a very large, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2024, 99 Engineering students graduated with students earning 50 Associate's degrees, and 49 Certificates.
Lake Land College offers 22 Engineering degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a outlying rural area. In 2024, 236 Engineering students graduated with students earning 207 Certificates, and 29 Associate's degrees.
Bradley University offers 17 Engineering degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2024, 234 Engineering students graduated with students earning 188 Bachelor's degrees, and 46 Master's degrees.
Kankakee Community College offers 15 Engineering degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a small city. In 2024, 194 Engineering students graduated with students earning 169 Certificates, and 25 Associate's degrees.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville offers 15 Engineering degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2024, 313 Engineering students graduated with students earning 187 Bachelor's degrees, and 126 Master's degrees.
Find local colleges with Engineering majors in Illinois
Top schools offering Engineering degrees in Illinois
List of all Engineering colleges in Illinois
| School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | 23 : 1 | 59,238 | |
|
Northwestern University Evanston, IL | 15 : 1 | 23,856 | |
|
Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL | 26 : 1 | 8,834 | |
|
University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL | 18 : 1 | 33,906 | |
|
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL | 18 : 1 | 11,790 | |