Best Colleges in Illinois – 2024 (2024)

Academic Highlights: There are 53 majors at UChicago, but close to half of all degrees conferred are in four majors: economics, biology, mathematics, and political science, all of which have particularly sterling reputations. Economics alone is the selection of roughly one-fifth of the undergraduate population. Over 75% of undergrad sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students, and undergraduate research opportunities are ubiquitous as 80% of students end up working in a research capacity alongside a faculty member.

Professional Outcomes: On commencement day, 99% of the Class of 2023 were employed or continuing their education. Business and financial services (30%) and STEM (12%) were the two sectors that scooped up the most graduates, but public policy and consulting were also well-represented. The most popular employers of recent grads include Google, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Bank of America, Citi, and Accenture. For those heading to grad school, the top seven destinations are Yale, Columbia, Penn, MIT, Stanford, UCLA, and Johns Hopkins.

Academic Highlights: Northwestern is home to six undergraduate schools, including Medill, which is widely regarded as one of the country’s best journalism schools. The McCormick School of Engineering also achieves top rankings, along with programs in economics, social policy, and theatre. The social sciences account for the greatest number of degrees conferred (19%), followed by communications/journalism (13%), and engineering (11%). 45% of classes have nine or fewer students enrolled; 78% have fewer than twenty enrollees. 57% of recent grads had the chance to conduct undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 69% of the Class of 2022 had found employment and 27% were in graduate school. The four most popular professional fields were consulting (18%), engineering (18%), business/finance (16%), and communications/marketing/media (13%). Employers included the BBC, NBC News, The Washington Post, NPR, Boeing, Google, IBM, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Northrop Grumman, and Goldman Sachs. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $73k. Of those headed straight to graduate school, engineering, medicine, and business were the three most popular areas of concentration.

Academic Highlights: Eight of UIUC’s fifteen schools cater to undergraduate students. There are 150 academic programs offered, including those at the acclaimed Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business. In sheer volume of degrees conferred, engineering and business/marketing are tied at 19%, followed by the social sciences (9%) and psychology (6%). 39% of sections are capped at 19 students. 29% of undergraduates work with a faculty member on a research project; another 22% have some type of fieldwork, practicum, or clinical experience.

Professional Outcomes: 95% of the members of the Class of 2022 landed at their next destination within six months of graduation, with 38% matriculating directly into an advanced degree program. 57% were employed full-time; the most popular sectors were finance, consulting, healthcare, electronics, and education. Corporations landing the most recent Illini grads were KPMG, Deloitte, Epic Systems, EY, PwC, and Amazon. The average salary across all Class of 2022 majors was an extremely solid $75,000.

Academic Highlights:As a top-tier liberal arts university, Illinois Wesleyan University offers students outstanding faculty, personalized attention, and a distinctive curriculum.

Academic Highlights: Undergrads can choose from 80 majors, 80 minors, and a number of interdisciplinary programs as well as five-year bachelor’s/master’s degrees. Programs in nursing, engineering, and business are particularly strong. Popularity-wise, the most degrees are conferred in the following areas of study: business/management/marketing (23%), health professions (15%), biological sciences (14%), social sciences (9%), psychology (9%), and communication/journalism (7%). The student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1; 40% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: 92% of the Class of 2022 experienced positive outcomes, with 71% employed and 21% continuing their education. Top industries were healthcare/health sciences, advertising/marketing/PR/sales, information systems/technology, government/nonprofit, education, and consulting. Companies hiring Loyola alumni included Morgan Stanley, Walgreens, Chicago Public Schools, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Accenture, and Deloitte. Those continuing their education enrolled at institutions such as Northwestern, USC, Columbia, and UChicago.

Academic Highlights: Undergrads pursue one of 95 bachelor’s programs offered through the 11 (of 16) colleges that grant undergraduate degrees. The most popular majors are business/marketing (16%), health professions (13%), and engineering (13%) followed by biology (12%), psychology (9%), and the social sciences (5%). The business, engineering, and computer science programs all have a solid national reputation. Close to two-thirds of classes enroll fewer than 29 students.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 had a 97% success rate six months after graduation, with 14% enrolling directly in graduate school. Students on the engineering, applied sciences, and public health tracks found employment or a graduate school home at the highest rates. By volume, the largest employer of UIC grads is Chicago Public Schools. More than 100 alumni can also be found employed by Allstate, Amazon, Accenture, Microsoft, IBM, Google, Deloitte, and Meta. The average salary for a 2022 grad was a solid $64k.

Academic Highlights:There are more than 300 undergraduate majors and graduate programs at the nation’s largest Catholic research university. The student-to-faculty ratio is 17:1 and 42% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students. A hefty 32% of all degrees awarded in 2022 were in the discipline of business/marketing. The next most popular areas of study were the visual and performing arts (13%), journalism (11%), and computer science (10%). The University rates well in the areas of overall value and facilitating social mobility.

Professional Outcomes:92% of 2022 graduates found their next positive step in life within six months of being awarded their diploma. 81% were employed earning a modest median salary of $45,000. Sample employers included Epic. Xerox Business Solutions, UBS, KPMG, and a number of nonprofit entities. Less than 10% of DePaul graduates directly enter graduate or professional school right after completing their undergraduate education.

Academic Highlights: Illinois Tech has 40+ undergraduate majors, mostly in the realms of engineering, business, computer science, and architecture. The student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1, but with so many graduate students to serve, undergraduate course sections are not small across the board; rather, they vary from single-digit enrollment in 22% of sections to 40+ students in 17% of courses. Overall, 47% of the degrees conferred are in engineering, 25% in computer science, and 12% in architecture.

Professional Outcomes: Ninety percent of Illinois Tech grads in 2022 already enjoyed a positive career/grad school outcome within six months of earning their degree. Alumni can be found in sizable numbers within major corporations including Motorola, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Accenture, JPMorgan Chase, IBM, EY, and Cisco. The median starting salary is $73,650. Frequently attended graduate institutions include Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, UIUC, and Boston University.

Academic Highlights:Bradley University ensures that its students receive individualized attention, with an average class size of 21 and a student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1. 100% of classes are taught by faculty and students gain real-world experience, with 100% engaging in at least 2 experiential learning activities. Popular majors include nursing (8%), psychology (7%), mechanical engineering (6%), civil engineering (5%), and computer science (4%).

Program Outcomes:Graduates enjoy an above-average median salary compared to other institutions, making $66,315, 31% more than the midpoint for other four-year schools. Top industries for recent graduates include healthcare services, education, operations, engineering, and community & social services. Popular employers include Bradley University, Caterpillar Inc., OSF HealthCare, Carle Health, and Target.

Academic Highlights:Illinois State University offers many educational options for students, providing over 160 degree programs and 78 minors. Popular majors include elementary education and teaching (7%), marketing (5%), nursing (5%), psychology (4%), and criminal justice (4%). Illinois State strives to foster a small-college atmosphere while providing large-university opportunities, with an average class size of 31 and a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Program Outcomes:Illinois State graduates enjoy an above-median salary, earning $58,781, 16% above the national median. Alumni work in industries such as operations, education, sales, community & social services, and administration, working for employers that include Illinois State University, State Farm, Target, Caterpillar Inc., and WZND Radio. Recent graduates stay in Illinois, settling in the Greater Chicago area, the Greater Bloomington area, and Normal, Illinois.

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.