# Best Bachelor's Programs in Illinois

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-bachelors-illinois

## Methodology

Bachelor's programs in Illinois ranked by outcomes and mobility

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

When it comes to choosing a bachelor's program in Illinois, a few standout schools rise above the rest. This list highlights 50 universities that not only offer a solid education but also deliver strong outcomes for their graduates. The average earnings for graduates from these institutions is around $59,372, illustrating the financial benefits of selecting the right program.

What sets the top schools apart is their performance in key areas that impact students' futures: earnings, graduation rates, mobility, and debt levels. For instance, you can see the graduation rates vary significantly among these institutions, with some exceeding 95%, while others hover around 60%. As you explore the list below, consider how each school's outcomes align with your own goals and priorities.

For example, the University of Chicago reports impressive earnings of $91,885 and a graduation rate of 95%, making it a top choice for those focused on high earning potential. In contrast, the University of Illinois at Chicago, while more affordable with a net price of $10,974, has a much lower graduation rate of 61% and earnings of $68,740. This juxtaposition highlights the trade-offs families need to weigh as they consider their options.

## Key Findings

- University of Chicago graduates earn an average of $91,885, the highest on this list.
- Northwestern University boasts a 96% graduation rate, one of the best among its peers.
- The average graduation rate across the ranked schools is only 59%, indicating room for improvement.
- Illinois Institute of Technology has a net price of $18,425, which is higher than many options listed.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [University of Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-chicago) | Chicago, IL | 95% | $91,885 | $14,860 | $15,000 | 0.16x |
| 2 | [Northwestern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northwestern-university) | Evanston, IL | 96% | $89,363 | $29,167 | $15,000 | 0.17x |
| 3 | [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign) | Champaign, IL | 85% | $81,054 | $14,355 | $19,500 | 0.24x |
| 4 | [Southern Illinois University Edwardsville](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville) | Edwardsville, IL | 56% | $56,346 | $14,889 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 5 | [Illinois Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-institute-of-technology) | Chicago, IL | 74% | $82,592 | $18,425 | $25,000 | 0.3x |
| 6 | [Illinois State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-state-university) | Normal, IL | 65% | $62,117 | $19,398 | $20,482 | 0.33x |
| 7 | [Lewis University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lewis-university) | Romeoville, IL | 65% | $66,099 | $17,028 | $21,500 | 0.33x |
| 8 | [Eastern Illinois University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/eastern-illinois-university) | Charleston, IL | 46% | $51,989 | $12,786 | $21,500 | 0.41x |
| 9 | [Northern Illinois University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university) | Dekalb, IL | 49% | $57,808 | $13,391 | $22,162 | 0.38x |
| 10 | [North Park University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-park-university) | Chicago, IL | 57% | $59,572 | $16,948 | $25,500 | 0.43x |
| 11 | [University of Illinois Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-chicago) | Chicago, IL | 61% | $68,740 | $10,974 | $16,704 | 0.24x |
| 12 | [Dominican University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dominican-university) | River Forest, IL | 59% | $60,327 | $11,745 | $24,411 | 0.4x |
| 13 | [North Central College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-central-college) | Naperville, IL | 68% | $60,123 | $21,044 | $24,500 | 0.41x |
| 14 | [Lake Forest College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-forest-college) | Lake Forest, IL | 74% | $61,825 | $28,673 | $26,158 | 0.42x |
| 15 | [Western Illinois University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-illinois-university) | Macomb, IL | 45% | $54,163 | $12,937 | $25,251 | 0.47x |
| 16 | [Bradley University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bradley-university) | Peoria, IL | 74% | $66,852 | $22,719 | $27,000 | 0.4x |
| 17 | [Aurora University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/aurora-university) | Aurora, IL | 59% | $58,709 | $18,838 | $20,318 | 0.35x |
| 18 | [Illinois Wesleyan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-wesleyan-university) | Bloomington, IL | 78% | $70,871 | $28,199 | $27,000 | 0.38x |
| 19 | [Trinity Christian College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trinity-christian-college) | Palos Heights, IL | 61% | $55,700 | $19,125 | $25,009 | 0.45x |
| 20 | [Elmhurst University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elmhurst-university) | Elmhurst, IL | 68% | $61,462 | $24,185 | $20,489 | 0.33x |
| 21 | [DePaul University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/depaul-university) | Chicago, IL | 69% | $68,751 | $30,902 | $23,168 | 0.34x |
| 22 | [Saint Xavier University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-xavier-university) | Chicago, IL | 58% | $58,656 | $10,970 | $22,223 | 0.38x |
| 23 | [Northeastern Illinois University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeastern-illinois-university) | Chicago, IL | 18% | $52,234 | $14,109 | $14,600 | 0.28x |
| 24 | [University of St Francis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-st-francis) | Joliet, IL | 66% | $63,926 | $13,006 | $21,079 | 0.33x |
| 25 | [Knox College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/knox-college) | Galesburg, IL | 68% | $54,820 | $24,595 | $27,000 | 0.49x |
| 26 | [Loyola University Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/loyola-university-chicago) | Chicago, IL | 75% | $71,530 | $36,079 | $24,157 | 0.34x |
| 27 | [Benedictine University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/benedictine-university) | Lisle, IL | 51% | $63,446 | $22,313 | $22,500 | 0.35x |
| 28 | [Monmouth College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/monmouth-college) | Monmouth, IL | 62% | $51,110 | $17,133 | $27,000 | 0.53x |
| 29 | [McKendree University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mckendree-university) | Lebanon, IL | 57% | $58,572 | $24,717 | $23,250 | 0.4x |
| 30 | [Greenville University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/greenville-university) | Greenville, IL | 46% | $46,827 | $19,533 | $23,875 | 0.51x |
| 31 | [Illinois College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-college) | Jacksonville, IL | 63% | $52,575 | $18,298 | $25,565 | 0.49x |
| 32 | [University of Illinois Springfield](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-springfield) | Springfield, IL | 57% | $57,103 | $9,833 | $19,128 | 0.33x |
| 33 | [Judson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/judson-university) | Elgin, IL | 56% | $56,313 | $18,558 | $25,000 | 0.44x |
| 34 | [Olivet Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/olivet-nazarene-university) | Bourbonnais, IL | 61% | $53,213 | $20,729 | $25,000 | 0.47x |
| 35 | [Millikin University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/millikin-university) | Decatur, IL | 57% | $51,262 | $21,989 | $27,000 | 0.53x |
| 36 | [Eureka College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/eureka-college) | Eureka, IL | 41% | $51,641 | $17,349 | $23,250 | 0.45x |
| 37 | [Rockford University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/rockford-university) | Rockford, IL | 43% | $54,794 | $22,436 | $22,274 | 0.41x |
| 38 | [Blackburn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/blackburn-college) | Carlinville, IL | 55% | $46,802 | $18,460 | $24,242 | 0.52x |
| 39 | [Roosevelt University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/roosevelt-university) | Chicago, IL | 38% | $48,712 | $20,194 | $22,000 | 0.45x |
| 40 | [Quincy University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/quincy-university) | Quincy, IL | 44% | $50,369 | $20,359 | $24,000 | 0.48x |
| 41 | [Southern Illinois University-Carbondale](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-carbondale) | Carbondale, IL | 59% | $53,390 | $13,297 | $21,543 | 0.4x |
| 42 | [Augustana College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/augustana-college) | Rock Island, IL | 76% | $62,971 | $22,736 | $27,000 | 0.43x |
| 43 | [Wheaton College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wheaton-college) | Wheaton, IL | 86% | $63,756 | $26,975 | $23,250 | 0.36x |
| 44 | [Moody Bible Institute](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/moody-bible-institute) | Chicago, IL | 62% | $45,399 | $22,221 | $18,149 | 0.4x |
| 45 | [Columbia College Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/columbia-college-chicago) | Chicago, IL | 50% | $42,195 | $26,598 | $25,000 | 0.59x |
| 46 | [Chicago State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chicago-state-university) | Chicago, IL | 16% | $42,778 | $12,335 | $30,625 | 0.72x |
| 47 | [Concordia University-Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/concordia-university-chicago) | River Forest, IL | 41% | $54,089 | $18,436 | $23,000 | 0.43x |
| 48 | [Governors State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/governors-state-university) | University Park, IL | 21% | $58,169 | $12,329 | $18,618 | 0.32x |
| 49 | [National Louis University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/national-louis-university) | Chicago, IL | 33% | $45,799 | $12,641 | $19,750 | 0.43x |
| 50 | [School of the Art Institute of Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/school-of-the-art-institute-of-chicago) | Chicago, IL | 65% | $40,151 | $49,790 | $27,000 | 0.67x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Bachelor's Programs in Illinois." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-bachelors-illinois

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.