Best Illinois Colleges

Ranked list of Colleges and Universities in Illinois for 2025

There are 132 colleges and universities in Illinois enrolling 700,210 students. Explore the list of top colleges in Illinois below to begin your college search. The CollegeSimply rankings are objective and data-driven in order to help you find good matches for you. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page. Whether you're searching for a good public, private or community college, this guide to universities in Illinois offers a comprehensive view to the state's higher education options.

 Illinois is home to nationally ranked institutions like University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and Wheaton College. The highest ranked college in Illinois is University of Chicago and the top rated public state college is University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Local college options can be explored in Chicago, Aurora and Rockford or other cities.

Illinois Public Private For-Profit 4 year 2 year

132 results

List of the Best Illinois Colleges

Concordia University Chicago
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C
River Forest, IL
 

Concordia University Chicago

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#37 Best Colleges in Illinois

  • 5,066enrollment
  • $17,767net price
  • 93%acceptance rate
  • 990-1180SAT range
  • 19-25ACT range
  • 3.18Avg GPA

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Rockford University
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R
Rockford, IL
 

Rockford University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#38 Best Colleges in Illinois

  • 1,249enrollment
  • $24,098net price
  • 57%acceptance rate
  • 850-1070SAT range
  • 17-23ACT range
  • 3.25Avg GPA

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Greenville University
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G
Greenville, IL

Greenville University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#39 Best Colleges in Illinois

  • 1,053enrollment
  • $21,442net price
  • 95%acceptance rate
  • 811-1219SAT range
  • 14-24ACT range
  • 3.23Avg GPA

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Aurora University
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A
Aurora, IL

Aurora University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#40 Best Colleges in Illinois

  • 5,935enrollment
  • $19,220net price
  • 85%acceptance rate
  • 930-1133SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
  • 3.56Avg GPA

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Chicago State University
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C
Chicago, IL

Chicago State University

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

#41 Best Colleges in Illinois

  • 2,324enrollment
  • $9,852net price
  • 41%acceptance rate
  • 750-963SAT range
  • 15-19ACT range
  • 3.18Avg GPA

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Adler University
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A
Chicago, IL
 

Adler University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 1,674enrollment
  • -net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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American Academy of Art
A
Chicago, IL

American Academy of Art

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 90enrollment
  • $32,872net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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American Islamic College
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A
Chicago, Illinois
 

American Islamic College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 14enrollment
  • $8,750net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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Southwestern Illinois College
S
Belleville, IL
 

Southwestern Illinois College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 7,955enrollment
  • $7,295net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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Black Hawk College
B
Moline, IL
 

Black Hawk College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 3,853enrollment
  • $4,481net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.33Avg GPA

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Blackburn College
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B
Carlinville, IL

Blackburn College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

 

  • 389enrollment
  • $21,349net price
  • 80%acceptance rate
  • 888-1125SAT range
  • 16-24ACT range
  • 3.23Avg GPA

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Carl Sandburg College
C
Galesburg, IL
 

Carl Sandburg College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 1,688enrollment
  • $2,754net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago
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C
Chicago, IL
 

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 1,243enrollment
  • -net price
  • 33%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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City Colleges of Chicago Kennedy King College
C
Chicago, IL
 

City Colleges of Chicago Kennedy King College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 2,780enrollment
  • $5,088net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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City Colleges of Chicago Malcolm X College
C
Chicago, IL

City Colleges of Chicago Malcolm X College

Public 2 Year

1 reviews

 

  • 8,011enrollment
  • $4,208net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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City Colleges of Chicago Olive Harvey College
C
Chicago, IL
 

City Colleges of Chicago Olive Harvey College

Public 2 Year

1 reviews

 

  • 2,747enrollment
  • $5,917net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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City Colleges of Chicago Harry S Truman College
C
Chicago, IL
 

City Colleges of Chicago Harry S Truman College

Public 2 Year

1 reviews

 

  • 6,185enrollment
  • $4,210net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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City Colleges of Chicago Richard J Daley College
C
Chicago, IL
 

City Colleges of Chicago Richard J Daley College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 5,836enrollment
  • $4,097net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

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