Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024

Badge for BEST ONLINE COLLEGES IN ILLINOIS

Updated: Nov 22, 2023

Find the best online colleges in Illinois ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Top 10 Online Colleges in Illinois

University of Illinois Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
DePaul University
Roosevelt University
Western Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University
Millikin University
University of Illinois Springfield
Trinity International University
Moody Bible Institute

University of Illinois Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
DePaul University
Rockford University
Roosevelt University
Moody Bible Institute
Western Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University
University of Illinois Springfield
Illinois College

Greenville University 94%
Moody Bible Institute 94%
Concordia University Chicago 93%
Benedictine University 93%
National Louis University 92%
Trinity International University 91%
Roosevelt University 88%
Saint Xavier University 84%
Aurora University 82%
University of Illinois Springfield 82%

Aurora University 18 to 1
University of Illinois Chicago 18 to 1
McKendree University 17 to 1
DePaul University 17 to 1
Moody Bible Institute 16 to 1
Saint Xavier University 15 to 1
National Louis University 15 to 1
Eastern Illinois University 15 to 1
Lewis University 14 to 1
Quincy University 14 to 1

Loyola University Chicago $49,498
DePaul University $42,840
Millikin University $40,740
Olivet Nazarene University $37,940
Lewis University $36,530
Illinois College $36,346
University of St. Francis $36,000
Saint Xavier University $35,770
Rockford University $35,050
Concordia University Chicago $34,964

The Chicago School $23,454
Roosevelt University $22,764
DePaul University $21,719
Millikin University $20,000
Loyola University Chicago $19,440
Benedictine University $19,181
Trinity International University $17,880
Saint Xavier University $15,000
Lewis University $14,760
Aurora University $14,586

Lake Forest Graduate School of Management
Greenville University
The Chicago School
McKendree University
Concordia University Chicago
Lincoln Christian University
Aurora University
University of St. Francis
Saint Xavier University
Benedictine University

The Chicago School
Lincoln Christian University
Greenville University
Lake Forest Graduate School of Management
University of St. Francis
Concordia University Chicago
Olivet Nazarene University
Lewis University
Saint Xavier University
Millikin University

The Chicago School 7%
Rockford University 55%
Governors State University 57%
University of St. Francis 58%
Olivet Nazarene University 58%
Quincy University 62%
McKendree University 68%
North Park University 68%
Eastern Illinois University 68%
DePaul University 70%

The Chicago School 3 to 1
Lincoln Christian University 7 to 1
Millikin University 10 to 1
Governors State University 10 to 1
North Park University 10 to 1
Rockford University 10 to 1
Roosevelt University 11 to 1
Illinois College 12 to 1
Trinity International University 12 to 1
University of Illinois Springfield 12 to 1

Governors State University $7,512
Eastern Illinois University $9,417
University of Illinois Springfield $9,758
National Louis University $11,580
University of Illinois Chicago $12,396
The Chicago School $13,224
Western Illinois University $14,406
Lincoln Christian University $14,920
Moody Bible Institute $16,178
Aurora University $27,420

Governors State University $6,354
Eastern Illinois University $7,691
Western Illinois University $8,609
Greenville University $8,784
University of Illinois Springfield $8,858
Lincoln Christian University $8,892
Moody Bible Institute $8,910
Illinois College $9,000
Concordia University Chicago $9,399
McKendree University $9,450

Key Takeaways

Illinois is home to many growth-oriented industries, including biotechnology, life sciences, energy, manufacturing, and information technology.
The state features many higher learning institutions, and many online colleges and universities offer accelerated academic programs that distance learners can complete in less than four years.
Despite Illinois’ above-average tuition rates, most of the state’s higher education institutions provide a variety of financial aid programs, including scholarships, grants, and loans.

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Employment Outlook in Illinois

According to the latest report of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, several Illinois employment sectors have experienced rapid development compared to 2021. The state’s top-growing sectors include business management, information technology, hospitality and tourism, and recreation. However, the logging and mining industries have decreased growth during the one year.

Some of the state’s highest-paying careers include lawyers, I.T. professionals, healthcare personnel, and business analysts, with higher-than-average wages compared to other occupations in the state. Other high-paying industries in Illinois also include finance and education.

Illinois has a lower-than-the-national-average rate for unemployment, with just 4.6% in October 2022. The Illinois government has reported that Lake County, Davenport, and Urbana-Champaign have the lowest unemployment rates compared to other cities in the state.

Cost of Attending Online Academic Programs in Illinois

Online students in Illinois enjoy the flexibility and convenience of completing their degree programs while working on their personal and professional responsibilities. Distance learners can also enjoy more tuition savings if they enroll as in-state students.

Public colleges and universities often charge higher tuition fees for out-of-state students. However, some online schools offer flat-rate tuition in which both in-state and out-of-state students pay the same tuition expenses.

Here is a quick overview of the undergraduate tuition fees in Illinois:

Public 4-Year Institution

$26,252 (In-State)
$28,660 (Out-of-State)

Private 4-Year Institution

$49,783 (In-State)

Public 2-Year Institution

$4,180 (In-State)
$11,166 (Out-of-State)

Out-of-State Students Pursuing Online Programs in Illinois

Illinois has expanded its coverage to provide its residents with affordable online programs through the state’s membership in the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. The state allows students to enroll in online academic programs and courses at participating schools outside Illinois at reduced tuition fees.

For Illinois learners completing online courses outside the state, tuition reduction equates to in-state pricing.

Facilitated through the Midwest Student Exchange Program, the initiative provides numerous opportunities for affordable undergraduate and graduate programs across the Midwest.

Public colleges and universities participating in the tuition reciprocity program agree to charge learners not more than 150% of the in-state tuition rate.

On the contrary, private learning institutions provide a 10% tuition reduction. Some online schools participate in the MSEP voluntarily, with enrollment policies made at their discretion.

Other schools reserve the right to set restrictions on MSEP out-of-state candidates. Depending on the academic program, students participating in the MSEP often save between $500 to $5,000 annually on tuition expenses.

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

Online education has grown dramatically in quality, credibility, and popularity over the last two decades. Today, more than a quarter of all college students are taking at least one online course. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 5 million college students who are pursuing their undergraduate degree fully online. And the number of online college and graduate students continues to grow as online technology and instructional methods improve.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to remote learning has proven an essential part of the educational ecosystem. Schools that offer primarily online degree programs saw an increase of 7% enrollment just between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The number of traditional institutions offering online courses and degrees is growing as well. This all paints a promising picture for the future of online education. But it also produces a dizzying array of options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Online Colleges 2024

Asynchronous learning means classes don’t meet at set times. This is the most flexible online learning experience, making when you cover your course material up to you. Most asynchronous online courses will still have deadlines throughout the semester for various assignments and tests. Some asynchronous classes may still ask for an occasional meeting, such as initial meet-and-greets, and in some cases there may be scheduled test times. The idea of asynchronous learning is to allow the student to manage their schedules as needed.

Synchronous learning means you will have scheduled meeting times for your online classes. Synchronous learning gives online students the flexibility of location while also giving students a chance to engage with each other and their professors. For many online students, the structured class schedules and ability to see and hear from peers in real-time helps create the learning experience they want.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities—educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

How do we determine the best online colleges for undergrads?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2023

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Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2024

Top 10 Online Colleges in Illinois

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Employment Outlook in Illinois

Cost of Attending Online Academic Programs in Illinois

Out-of-State Students Pursuing Online Programs in Illinois

Colleges and Universities in Illinois

What are Illinois’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Online Colleges in Illinois 2023

Career Outlook for degree at University of Illinois Chicago

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Loyola University Chicago

Online Degree Completion Programs

Career Outlook for degree at DePaul University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Concentrations

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Roosevelt University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Western Illinois University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Emphases

Concentrations

Emphases

Career Outlook for degree at Eastern Illinois University

Online Degree Completion Programs

Concentrations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Millikin University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of Illinois Springfield

Online Degree Completion Programs

Career Outlook for degree at Trinity International University

Online Degrees

Emphases

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Governors State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Olivet Nazarene University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Illinois College

Online Degree Completion Programs

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Rockford University

Online Degree Completion Programs

Career Outlook for degree at North Park University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at National Louis University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Lewis University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Quincy University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Benedictine University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Saint Xavier University

Online Degree Completion Programs

Career Outlook for degree at University of St. Francis

Online Degree Completion Program

Career Outlook for degree at Aurora University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Lincoln Christian University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Concordia University Chicago

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at McKendree University

Online Degrees

Online Degrees

Specializations

Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Greenville University

Online Degrees

Online Degree Completion Programs