Illinois’s Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
What are the best colleges and universities in Illinois if you reward schools for making the best use of their limited resources? Academic Stewardship asks how effectively schools manage their financial and human resources to gain the influence that makes them academically excellent. Schools that are exemplary in Academic Stewardship are doing everything in their power to help students and faculty achieve their full potential.
Colleges and universities in Illinois deserve to be recognized when they do more with less. It’s impressive when a large wealthy school can spend money lavishly on expensive buildings and programs. But it’s even more impressive when a small school with limited means is able to train and inspire students that the larger wealthier schools tend to ignore.
The American Association of Colleges and Universities reported in late 2021 that almost 75 percent of higher-education professionals at US colleges and universities felt financial constraints prevented their schools from effectively attracting students. Distracted by the size and amenities of larger schools, prospective students tended especially to be overawed by the big research universities.
Illinois’s smaller colleges, especially its liberal arts colleges, need effective ways of communicating their value to a world that celebrates “bigger is better” and “you need the best.” Unfortunately, most college ranking companies, such as U.S. News & World Report, define “best” in a way that devalues schools with smaller budgets and fewer students even when these schools do remarkable work in advancing their students’ education. By and large, college rankings penalize schools that serve underserved populations.
Inspired by Malcolm Gladwell, who for years now has criticized conventional college rankings for misrepresenting what’s good and valuable in education, we decided to construct a new ranking metric that highlights those schools that do more with less. That metric—called the Academic Stewardship metric—takes away both the size and the wealth advantage of schools, and focuses instead on how well schools use the resources available to them to advance the education of their students.
How We Measure the Academic Stewardship of Illinois’s Colleges and Universities
As a metric, Academic Stewardship is defined by a precise mathematical formula, which can be found in our Academic Stewardship white paper. Measuring the Academic Stewardship of Illinois’s colleges requires measuring two forms of stewardship: 1) Stewardship of financial resources (using the money they have responsibility without waste) and 2) Stewardship of human resources (doing their best to help students, faculty, and administration to flourish). Together, these two types of stewardship form what we call Academic Stewardship. If you want to learn more about the factors involved in Academic Stewardship, click the more button below.
- Stewardship of financial resources: To determine a school’s stewardship of financial resources, we factored in its undergraduate size, budget, endowments and reserves, as well as tuition and fees. All these data are available from the National Center for Educational Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. In addition, we factored in a school’s financial responsibility as gauged by the Federal Student Aid Office at the US Department of Education through its financial responsibility composite scores.
- Stewardship of human resources: To determine a school’s stewardship of human resources, we used our InfluenceRanking engine to track the influence of the school’s faculty and alumni but also to control for size of the undergraduate student body. We’ve found that measuring a school’s influence based on the contributions of faculty and alumni make in their fields of study but then also controlling for size of the undergraduate population is the single best indicator of academic excellence. We call this Concentrated Influence. Schools that rank highly in Concentrated Influence are schools that, given their available human resources, invest heavily in their students and faculty, and the results are demonstrable.
- We measure the influence of colleges and universities based on the publications and citations of the schools’ faculty and alumni who are teaching in and working in areas related to their degrees. To do this, we take publicly available databases, such as Semantic Scholar, Crossref, and Wikipedia and use these to measure the influence of academics in their disciplines. Having measured the influence of persons, we then identify the schools that they’re affiliated with, adding up the influence scores of the faculty and alumni to measure the influence of the schools and their disciplinary programs. Finally, we control these influence scores by size of undergraduate student body so that schools do not score high in influence simply because of a size advantage. We lay out these methodological considerations on our methodology page.
- Academic Stewardship: Having measured a school’s stewardship of financial and human resources in the two previous points, we now divide the second measure by the first to define the Academic Stewardship metric. This metric spotlights smaller schools, with fewer financial resources and people, that invest wisely and do proportionately better in building influence than large wealthy schools. Many of these smaller, less wealthy schools are incentivized to make better use of their resources but would never get recognized in conventional school rankings, which directly or indirectly put a premium on the wealth of schools.
Academic Stewardship as so defined is connected to keeping tuition and other costs down, but it should not be confused with affordability or frugality. The schools that this metric ranks as exemplary academic stewards tend to be all over the map when it comes to tuition and other costs. At issue is the influence of schools given the financial and human resources they have on hand. If a school is going to charge more for tuition, then that needs to be reflected in the school having proportionately greater influence.
Why Academic Stewardship Matters to Students and Their Families
The benefits of attending a school with strong academic stewardship include:
- A clear reason for why students are at the school in the first place. Without the distraction of amenities and luxuries, these schools are at once unpretentious but also passionately committed to their educational mission. The schools in this ranking are financially efficient and academically rigorous. By avoiding frills, these schools take the most direct path to accomplishing their mission of educating students.
- Valuing character over prestige and self-indulgence. A school that’s a good steward of its resources doesn’t instill shame in its students over what they are missing (such as elite cuisine) but rather pride in what they have and making the most of it. These schools exhibit a culture of good stewardship, which tends to build good character in the students that attend these schools.
- Avoiding the spoiled-student syndrome. It’s easy to think that offering students endless options and opportunities will enrich their time at school in every way. But spoiling people—whether in business, sports, or academics—has the opposite effect, causing people to take their advantages for granted and in the end achieving less than they might otherwise, a point well-documented in Daniel Coyle’s The Talent Code. Schools exhibiting academic stewardship avoid this pitfall.
- The best schools vs. the schools that help students to be their best. Students at schools demonstrating outstanding academic stewardship aren’t so much concerned about being at the “best” school, whatever that may mean, as about being at a school that helps them to be their best. These schools pay attention to their students, hoping that any glory goes to them rather than to the school. Small schools, and especially liberal arts colleges, help themselves by communicating this advantage to prospective students.
- Emphasizing development over talent and achievement. Schools like Harvard and Stanford have their pick of academic talent, and their students have a long record of achievement even before they apply to such elite schools. But if a school doesn’t have the resources of a Harvard or Stanford, how does it build a great team of students? In that case, it must focus on student development. Colleges exemplifying academic stewardship emphasize student growth and development, ensuring that the schools are doing everything in their power to help students reach their full potential and thereby become their best selves.
Illinois’s Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
- #18 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024 #25 Best Online Bachelor’s of Human Services Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
42%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1087/22
Career Outlook for degree at Quincy University
Cost of Degree: $31,940Expenses: $13,730Starting Salary: $46,000Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Quincy University known for?
Quincy University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Quincy University’s Online Degrees
BS in Business Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Human Services
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Writing
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #3 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024 #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2024 #10 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 2024
Tuition + fees
$52K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
75%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1200/26
Career Outlook for degree at Knox College
Cost of Degree: $53,259Expenses: $12,748Starting Salary: $43,500Cost Recoup Time: 20 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Knox College known for?
Knox College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- History
- Sociology
- Biology
- Literature
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
66%
Graduation
55%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/24
Career Outlook for degree at Monmouth College
Cost of Degree: $42,214Expenses: $13,790Starting Salary: $46,500Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Monmouth College known for?
Monmouth College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
32%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/19
Career Outlook for degree at Rockford University
Cost of Degree: $35,050Expenses: $15,070Starting Salary: $47,800Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Rockford University known for?
Rockford University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Political Science
- Education
- Psychology
- History
- Medical
- Anthropology
- Chemistry
Most Influential Alumni
Rockford University’s Online Degrees
BSMS in Bachelor Of Science In Management Studies
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BSAS in Bachelors Of Science In Accounting Studies
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #6 Best Online Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture Degree Programs #13 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
64%
Student body
1K
Career Outlook for degree at Illinois College
Cost of Degree: $36,346Starting Salary: $49,100What is Illinois College known for?
Illinois College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Illinois College’s Online Degrees
BA in Accounting
- Required Credits: 42
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Agribusiness Management
- Required Credits: 42
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Human Resources Management
- Required Credits: 46
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- Management
- Required Credits: 42-44
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #6 Best Christian Colleges in Illinois 2024 #9 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024 #17 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Nursing Degrees #1 Best Online Associate Degrees in Illinois 2024
Other Rankings
- #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Illinois
- #4 Top 10 Best Online Business Management Bachelor's Programs
- #6 Best Online MBA Programs in Illinois
- #15 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity
- #15 Best Online Master's Programs in Illinois 2024
- #19 Best Online Bachelor's in Sociology Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
- #21 Best Online Bachelor's in Sports Management Degree Programs for 2024
- #25 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
56%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1074/23
Career Outlook for degree at McKendree University
Cost of Degree: $33,430Expenses: $15,300Starting Salary: $50,200Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is McKendree University known for?
McKendree University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Criminal Justice
- Psychology
- Education
- Business
- Sociology
- History
- Religious Studies
- Communications
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
McKendree University’s Online Degrees
BBA in Accounting
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Business Administration
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Entrepreneurship
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Human Resource Management
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Management
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Sport Management
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Supply Chain Management And Logistics
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Computer Information Systems
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Cyber Defense
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Sociology/Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Nursing: RN to BSN
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
Tuition + fees
$51K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
73%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Lake Forest College
Cost of Degree: $52,902Expenses: $15,898Starting Salary: $55,600Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Lake Forest College known for?
Lake Forest College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #7 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024 #9 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2024 #10 Most Affordable Colleges in Illinois Ranked for Students in 2024 #10 Best Public Colleges in Illinois 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
21%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
856/17
Career Outlook for degree at Chicago State University
Cost of Degree: $12,018Expenses: $20,700Starting Salary: $38,200Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Chicago State University known for?
Chicago State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Computer Science
- Education
- Social Work
- Mathematics
- History
- Communications
- Medical
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
- #5 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024 #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2024 #8 Most Affordable Colleges in Illinois Ranked for Students in 2024 #8 Best Public Colleges in Illinois 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
53%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1085/23
Career Outlook for degree at University of Illinois Springfield
Cost of Degree: $12,190Expenses: $14,388Starting Salary: $49,900Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is University of Illinois Springfield known for?
University of Illinois Springfield’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Political Science
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Medical
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Sociology
- Law
Most Influential Alumni
University of Illinois Springfield’s Online Degrees
BBA in Business Administration
- Required Credits: 53-55
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Sports Management
- Required Credits: 53-55
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Human Resource Management
- Required Credits: 53-55
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in History
- Required Credits: 33
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Communication
- Required Credits: 32
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Management
- Required Credits: 53-55
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BBA in Marketing
- Required Credits: 53-55
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #8 50 Best Small Colleges and Universities Ranked for Students in 2024 #1 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024 #3 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 2024 #5 Best Colleges in Illinois 2024
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
66%
Graduation
71%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1295/29
Career Outlook for degree at Illinois Institute of Technology
Cost of Degree: $50,279Expenses: $21,270Starting Salary: $78,000Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Illinois Institute of Technology known for?
Illinois Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Engineering
- Economics
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Business
- Law
- Social Work
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #5 Best CCCU Colleges and Universities 2024 #6 50 Best Christian Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities 2024 #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2024 #2 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
88%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1330/29
Career Outlook for degree at Wheaton College
Cost of Degree: $42,240Expenses: $14,540Starting Salary: $60,500Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Wheaton College known for?
Wheaton College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Earth Sciences
- Anthropology
- Communications
- Psychology
- History
- Economics
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
45%
Graduation
81%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1200/26
Career Outlook for degree at Illinois Wesleyan University
Cost of Degree: $53,814Expenses: $14,918Starting Salary: $67,300Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Illinois Wesleyan University known for?
Illinois Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Nursing
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Economics
- Biology
- History
- Political Science
- Physics
- Religious Studies
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
55%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/23
Career Outlook for degree at Millikin University
Cost of Degree: $41,532Expenses: $15,936Starting Salary: $47,200Cost Recoup Time: 18 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Millikin University known for?
Millikin University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Millikin University’s Online Degrees
BS in Organizational Leadership
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BSN in Nursing
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #10 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024 #19 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Criminal Justice Degrees #10 Best Online MBA Programs in Illinois #11 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
16%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
940/19
Career Outlook for degree at Governors State University
Cost of Degree: $10,468Expenses: $15,100Starting Salary: $44,000Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Governors State University known for?
Governors State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Criminal Justice
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Social Work
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Education
- Computer Science
- Medical
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
Governors State University’s Online Degrees
BA in Business And Applied Science
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Interdisciplinary Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BSN in Rn To Bsn Nursing
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
Tuition + fees
$46K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
79%
Student body
2K
Career Outlook for degree at Augustana College
Cost of Degree: $47,916Expenses: $14,326Starting Salary: $56,400Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Augustana College known for?
Augustana College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Physics
- Earth Sciences
- Sociology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Philosophy
- Literature
Most Influential Alumni
- #5 Best Christian Colleges in Illinois 2024 #8 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024 #10 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2024 #7 Best Online MBA Programs in Illinois
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$42K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
64%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1140/24
Career Outlook for degree at North Central College
Cost of Degree: $43,046Expenses: $14,920Starting Salary: $52,300Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is North Central College known for?
North Central College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- Business
- Psychology
- Medical
- History
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Computer Science
- Education
- Religious Studies
Most Influential Alumni
- #9 Best Online MBA Programs in Illinois #15 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024 #25 Best Online Master's Programs in Illinois 2024
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
61%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1031/22
Career Outlook for degree at North Park University
Cost of Degree: $34,020Expenses: $13,825Starting Salary: $45,600Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is North Park University known for?
North Park University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Religious Studies
- Communications
- Mathematics
- Medical
- Psychology
- Business
- Nursing
- Sociology
- History
Most Influential Alumni
North Park University’s Online Degrees
BA in Digital Marketing
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Nonprofit Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Organizational Management And Leadership
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #4 Best Christian Colleges in Illinois 2024 #6 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2024 #4 Best Online MBA Programs in Illinois #13 Best Online Master's Programs in Illinois 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
47%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/22
Career Outlook for degree at Benedictine University
Cost of Degree: $32,441Expenses: $15,042Starting Salary: $56,400Cost Recoup Time: 14 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Benedictine University known for?
Benedictine University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Criminal Justice
- Physics
- Business
- Psychology
- Medical
- Political Science
- Education
- Literature
- Communications
Most Influential Alumni
Benedictine University’s Online Degrees
BA in Management
Degree Concentrations
- Digital Marketing
- Human Resources Management
- Marketing
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Organizational Leadership
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in General Professional Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #8 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2024 #9 Most Affordable Colleges in Illinois Ranked for Students in 2024 #9 Best Public Colleges in Illinois 2024 #2 Best Online Master’s in Human Services
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
51%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/20
Career Outlook for degree at Eastern Illinois University
Cost of Degree: $12,809Expenses: $13,696Starting Salary: $46,000Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Eastern Illinois University known for?
Eastern Illinois University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Eastern Illinois University’s Online Degrees
BS in Business Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Organizational Development
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Communication In Organizations
- Required Credits: 46
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in General Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BSN in Nursing: RN to BSN
- Required Credits: 35
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Health Communication
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Health Promotion
Degree Concentrations
- Emergency Management And Disaster Preparedness
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #2 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2024 #7 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 2024 #10 Best Colleges in Illinois 2024 #12 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Earning Business Degrees in 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
76%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/25
Career Outlook for degree at Bradley University
Cost of Degree: $37,800Expenses: $15,636Starting Salary: $58,300Cost Recoup Time: 15 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Bradley University known for?
Bradley University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
- #8 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 2024 #2 Top 3 Best Online MBA in Real Estate Degree Programs Ranked for 2024 #3 Best Online MBA Programs in Illinois #3 Best Online Master’s in Forensics Degree Programs
Other Rankings
- #4 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024
- #7 Best Online Master's Programs in Illinois 2024
- #8 Best Online MBAs in Finance
- #9 Best Online Bachelor's in Organizational Leadership Degree Programs
- #9 Best Online MBA in Entrepreneurship Ranked for Students in 2024
- #9 Best Online Master's in Organizational Leadership
- #9 Best Online MBA in Accounting Degree Programs
- #10 Best Online Master's in Hospitality and Tourism Degree Programs
- #10 Best Online Master's in Art Education and Art Administration
- #12 Best Online Master’s in Human Resources
- #12 Best Online Bachelor's in Psychology Degree Programs for Students
- #16 Best Online Master's in Marketing and Advertising
- #17 Best Online Master's Degrees in Accounting
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
40%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1015/22
Career Outlook for degree at Roosevelt University
Cost of Degree: $33,068Expenses: $20,625Starting Salary: $47,700Cost Recoup Time: 17 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Roosevelt University known for?
Roosevelt University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Economics
- Criminal Justice
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Business
- Education
- Social Work
- Philosophy
- History
Most Influential Alumni
Roosevelt University’s Online Degrees
BA in Organizational Leadership
- Required Credits: 147
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Health Science Administration
- Required Credits: 131-135
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Bachelor'S In Psychology
- Required Credits: 60
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Illinois 2024 #7 Most Affordable Colleges in Illinois Ranked for Students in 2024 #7 Best Public Colleges in Illinois 2024 #2 Best Online MBA Programs in Illinois
Other Rankings
- #5 Best Online Bachelor's in Anthropology
- #5 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024
- #9 Best Online Master's Programs in Illinois 2024
- #11 Best Online Bachelor's of Economics Degree Programs for 2024
- #17 Best Online Bachelor's in Accounting
- #21 Best Online Bachelor's in Organizational Leadership Degree Programs
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
51%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
985/21
Career Outlook for degree at Western Illinois University
Cost of Degree: $13,661Expenses: $13,721Starting Salary: $47,500Cost Recoup Time: 11 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Western Illinois University known for?
Western Illinois University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Earth Sciences
- History
- Communications
- Education
- Business
- Biology
- Economics
- Political Science
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
Western Illinois University’s Online Degrees
BB in Accountancy
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Economics
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BB in Economics
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Fire Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Anthropology
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Communication Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Interpersonal Communication And Processes
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Organizational Communication
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #4 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024 #6 50 Best Private Colleges and Universities for Undergrads 2024 #6 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024 #6 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
Other Rankings
- #7 50 Best Private Grad Schools 2024
- #8 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
- #10 Best Universities in the World 2024
- #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
- #1 Best Colleges in Illinois 2024
- #1 Best Research Universities in Illinois 2024
- #1 Best Grad Schools Illinois 2024
- #1 Best Private Colleges in Illinois 2024
- #2 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
- #3 Best Research Universities for Religious Studies Degrees
- #3 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
- #3 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
- #5 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
- #5 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
- #6 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
- #6 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
- #6 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
- #6 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
- #7 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
- #8 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
- #9 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
- #11 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
- #14 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
- #16 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
- #5 Best Schools in the World for Earning an MBA Degree Ranked for 2024
- #11 The Best Traditional MBA Programs Ranked for Students in 2024
- #16 The Fastest Traditional MBA Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
Tuition + fees
$62K
Acceptance
6%
Graduation
96%
Student body
20K
Median SAT/ACT
1535/34
Career Outlook for degree at University of Chicago
Cost of Degree: $62,940Expenses: $22,596Starting Salary: $103,000Cost Recoup Time: 14 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is University of Chicago known for?
University of Chicago’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Economics
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Social Work
- Mathematics
- Political Science
- Law
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #4 Best Online Colleges for Students Who Work Part-Time #2 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Illinois #4 Best Online Bachelor's in Social Work Degree Programs Ranked for 2024 #12 Best Online Master's in Social Work MSW
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$27K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
55%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1060/21
Career Outlook for degree at Aurora University
Cost of Degree: $27,420Expenses: $16,602Starting Salary: $46,200Cost Recoup Time: 16 yearsPaid back at 15% of annual salaryWhat is Aurora University known for?
Aurora University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Social Work
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Business
- Literature
- Religious Studies
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- History
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
Aurora University’s Online Degrees
BA in Business Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Business Management
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Cybersecurity
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in General Studies
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BSW in Social Work
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
- #5 Best Online MBA Programs in Illinois #7 10 Best Online Bachelor's of Forensic Psychology Programs #13 Best Online Master's in Organizational Psychology #16 Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024
Other Rankings
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
34%
Student body
10K
Career Outlook for degree at National Louis University
Cost of Degree: $14,244Starting Salary: $50,800What is National Louis University known for?
National Louis University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Psychology
- Social Work
- Education
- Business
- Medical
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Communications
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
National Louis University’s Online Degrees
BA in Business Administration
- Required Credits: 120
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Management
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Computer Sciences
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Criminal Justice
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BABS in Communications
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BA in Human Services
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
BS in Healthcare Leadership
- Required Credits: None Reported
- Completion Time: None Reported
- Format: Online
Illinois’s Best Colleges in Your Area of Interest
Colleges and Universities in Illinois
Prospective students searching for colleges in Illinois have plenty of excellent schools to choose from. Illinois offers over 130 higher education institutes throughout the state. Thanks to an expansive public university system and several top private institutions, students can select from an extremely wide array of brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Illinois.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago, the state’s two largest public universities in Illinois. Students can access a full spectrum of undergraduate and graduate degrees for in-state tuition rates of $13,000 to $15,000 respectively. Both public universities also offer a full selection of online degree programs.It’s also worth noting that Illinois residents who pursue online degrees at public colleges in Illinois will qualify for in-state tuition rates. Out of state students will generally pay more whether pursuing on-campus or online degrees.
Find college admissions consultants in your state.
More than half of the colleges in Illinois are actually private schools. Among these private colleges and universities, the most notable are DePaul University, Northwestern University, and Loyola University Chicago. Tuition from these three private schools can be costly, ranging from $44,000 to $55,000. However, each of these private schools boasts a high graduation rate and excellent professors.
Illinois is also home to many small private schools, including Benedictine University and National Louis University.
Popular disciplines in Illinois include disciplines like criminal justice, social work, nursing, education, religious studies, communications, and medicine. Both traditional and online students have a wide range of options in each of these subject areas.
Degree completion programs are also widely available for lapsed students who have already accumulated some college credits. This is an especially popular online degree option among working professionals in Illinois.
Additionally, Illinois offers several loan forgiveness-based financial aid programs for qualifying students pursuing careers as teachers, public defenders or prosecutors, or nurses.From the skyscrapers in Chicago to the vast prairie lands in the north, Illinois is a place where city meets country. Students can grab a Chicago-style hotdog on the way to a Cubs game, explore the ancient sandstone cliffs in the Shawnee National Forest, or admire an exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago, all while attending one of The Prairie State’s universities or colleges.
The higher education institutes in Illinois have also produced many prominent alumni, including Stephen Colbert, Phillip Glass, and Kurt Vonnegut. Students hoping to walk the same streets as these well-known individuals can check out some of the state’s top programs and universities.
What are Illinois’s Colleges & Universities?
- 17 Research Universities
- 36 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 28 Graduate Schools
- 12 Public Colleges & Universities
- 44 Private Colleges & Universities
- 24 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 34 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 15 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000/year)
- 49 Community Colleges
- 28 Online Colleges