Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2023

Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2023

Small colleges in Illinois are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.

10 Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2022

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Key Takeaways

  • The best small colleges in Illinois are excellent choices for college students who want a well-rounded education, a more personalized educational experience, and a more customized approach to skills acquisition (i.e., technical or liberal arts).
  • The choice between a public and a private college will depend on your financial capacity, choice in a degree, and desire for campus life. Both types of institutions, however, offer financial aid and, thus, provide students with the opportunity to make their choice based on other non-monetary factors.
  • Illinois is an excellent place to pursue higher education, thanks to its world-class colleges and universities as well as its abundant career opportunities.

Standing Out as a Small College in Illinois

The best small colleges in Illinois featured here consist of public and private colleges, a testament to the world-class quality of higher education institutions in the Prairie State. Each of these small colleges has a unique history and continues to make significant contributions to diverse fields, from nursing and computer science to business administration and criminal justice.

The oldest of these small colleges—and the oldest in Illinois—is Mckendree University, established by pioneer Methodists in 1828. It’s also the oldest university in the United States associated with the United Methodist Church.

The second-oldest college in Illinois is Illinois College, established by the Yale Band in 1829. While McKendree University may have beaten it in terms of founding date, it’s the first college in Illinois to award a degree and the state’s first medical school.

Founded in 1837, Knox College uses a unique 3-3 academic calendar instead of the typical semester-based academic calendar. This setup enables students to focus on their studies—each term requires completion of only three courses. This also allows faculty members to provide more personalized professional attention to their students, and is one of the reasons why it’s one of the best small colleges in Illinois.

The #1 in our list of the best small colleges in Illinois, Illinois Institute of Technology, traces its roots to 1890 and has garnered several accolades in its 130-year history. Among its latest is the CAE-CD or National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education designation.

The bottom line: While Illinois is chock-full of private school institutions with outstanding academic programs, the small Illinois university and college options featured here are great choices for higher education! Excellent academic standards, credentialed faculty members, and exceptional student support services are among the reasons these small colleges are recognized for their great value.

Public Colleges vs. Private Colleges

But, it’s also important to distinguish between public and private colleges, a distinction that can make or break your academic career. Their differences will greatly impact your ability to earn your degree based on your desired timeline, thanks to factors like total cost of attendance, degree programs, student support services, and class size and diversity. Be sure to carefully consider the unique characteristics of each small college before making your choice.

Funding sources and their effect on tuition and fees.

With funding from the state government, public colleges are more affordable than private colleges. Government subsidies mean students aren’t paying for the actual cost of attendance. In contrast, private colleges don’t receive a single cent from the government and, instead, rely on tuition, fees, alum contributions, endowments, and other sources of revenue. The result: Higher tuition and other fees.

Fortunately, students in accredited public and private colleges can apply for financial aid! Federal and state financial assistance, institutional scholarships, and external grants are available.

Degree programs and research opportunities.

Public colleges are likely to have larger class sizes, more diverse student bodies, and a wider range of degree and certificate programs. Private colleges tend to have smaller class sizes and less diversity among their students, although there are always exceptions. There’s also more emphasis on liberal arts programs with a smattering of STEM and business administration programs.

Due to their limited funding, small private colleges may not offer as many research opportunities as small public colleges. But what they lack in resources can mean better collaborations between students and professors.

In terms of campus life, small public and private colleges feature a more tight-knit community with a fairly wide variety of on-campus activities and organizations.

Ultimately, your choice between a small public college and a private college will depend on your circumstances and preferences. With numerous world-class colleges and universities in Illinois, you will be spoiled for choice!

Great Reasons to Study in Illinois

So why choose the Prairie State for your higher education? First, you will find rich and diverse opportunities to appreciate Illinois’s history, arts and culture! Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Barack Obama, and Ronald Reagan call Illinois home—in fact, it’s where the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the future Barack Obama Presidential Center are located.

Chicago, its largest city, boasts numerous galleries and museums, historical landmarks and attractions, and awe-inspiring architecture and sculptures. There are several fairs and festivals, too, such as the Abe Fest and Illinois State Fair, as well as sports teams to root for—the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox among them.

Did we mention that the cost of living in Illinois is well below the national average? Students will find the fairly reasonable costs of housing, utilities and groceries to be appealing. With the wide range of financial aid programs available in Illinois, pursuing a degree in one of its best small colleges becomes even more attractive!

The employment opportunities in Illinois are also excellent for students and graduates of small colleges. The state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity cites energy, transportation and distribution, and biotechnology and life sciences as among the state’s growth industries.

More than 30 Fortune 500 corporations in Illinois, such as Allstate and Boeing, contribute to its diverse economy. The most profitable industries include finance, insurance, and real estate. And you will be glad to know that Illinois’ minimum wage rate will be $15 in 2025, among the highest in the country!

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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?

Illinois’s Best Overall

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The following list of the best small colleges and universities in Illinois is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 34 small colleges in Illinois. The list below of the 25 best small colleges in Illinois. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.

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Best Small Colleges in Illinois 2022

  1. Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    79%

    Graduation

    53%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1085/23

    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
  2. Tuition + fees

    $34K

    Acceptance

    80%

    Graduation

    47%

    Student body

    4K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1070/22

    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
  3. #9

    McKendree University

    Lebanon , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $33K

    Acceptance

    78%

    Graduation

    56%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1074/23

    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
  4. #10

    Governors State University

    University Park , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $10K

    Acceptance

    52%

    Graduation

    16%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    940/19

    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
  5. Tuition + fees

    $35K

    Acceptance

    85%

    Graduation

    52%

    Student body

    4K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1035/21

    Saint Xavier University’s Online Degrees

    BA in Business
    • Required Credits: 45
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Applied Communication
    • Required Credits: 30
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BSN in Rn To Bsn Nursing
    • Required Credits: 34
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  6. Tuition + fees

    $33K

    Acceptance

    91%

    Graduation

    45%

    Student body

    <1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1005/23

    Trinity International University’s Online Degrees

    BA in Business
    • Required Credits: 124
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Criminal Justice
    • Required Credits: 124
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BA in Christian Ministries
    • Required Credits: 124
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  7. #14

    Illinois Wesleyan University

    Bloomington , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $53K

    Acceptance

    45%

    Graduation

    81%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1200/26

  8. #16

    Millikin University

    Decatur , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $40K

    Acceptance

    75%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1050/23

    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
  9. #17

    Illinois College

    Jacksonville , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $35K

    Acceptance

    75%

    Graduation

    64%

    Student body

    1K

    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
  10. #18

    Rockford University

    Rockford , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $34K

    Acceptance

    67%

    Graduation

    32%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1000/19

    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
  11. #19

    Olivet Nazarene University

    Bourbonnais , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $37K

    Acceptance

    61%

    Graduation

    64%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1080/22

    Olivet Nazarene University’s Online Degrees

    BSB in Business
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BSL in Leadership
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
    BS in Multidisciplinary Studies
    • Required Credits: 120
    • Completion Time: None Reported
    • Format: Online
  12. #20

    Monmouth College

    Monmouth , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $41K

    Acceptance

    66%

    Graduation

    55%

    Student body

    <1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1155/24

  13. #21

    North Park University

    Chicago , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $33K

    Acceptance

    67%

    Graduation

    61%

    Student body

    2K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1031/22

    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
  14. #22

    Dominican University

    River Forest , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $36K

    Acceptance

    81%

    Graduation

    52%

    Student body

    3K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1060/21

  15. #23

    Principia College

    Elsah , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $31K

    Acceptance

    83%

    Graduation

    86%

    Student body

    <1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1112/25

  16. #24

    Quincy University

    Quincy , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $31K

    Acceptance

    60%

    Graduation

    42%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1087/22

    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
  17. #25

    Trinity Christian College

    Palos Heights , IL

    Tuition + fees

    $33K

    Acceptance

    76%

    Graduation

    67%

    Student body

    1K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1080/23

    What is Trinity Christian College known for?

    Trinity Christian College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

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Illinois’s Best Small College in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.

  1. Wheaton College
  2. Knox College
  3. University of Illinois Springfield
  4. Trinity International University
  5. Principia College
  6. Monmouth College
  7. Illinois Wesleyan University
  8. Lake Forest College
  9. Illinois College
  10. Dominican University
  11. North Central College
  12. Augustana College
  13. Elmhurst University
  14. Olivet Nazarene University
  15. Millikin University
  16. Benedictine University
  17. Trinity Christian College
  18. Quincy University
  19. Governors State University
  20. Saint Xavier University
  21. McKendree University
  22. North Park University
  23. Eureka College
  24. Robert Morris University Illinois
  25. University of St. Francis