Top 6 Best Colleges in Illinois | 2017 Ranking | Cheap, Best, Top Illinois Colleges (Reviews and Comparison)

2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING SCHOOLS IN ILLINOIS

Overview of Best Colleges in Illinois

Illinois is a large and diverse state, and the higher education system reflects this. There is a total of nearly 120 colleges and universities in Illinois, some of which are prestigious private schools, and others which are nationally ranked public colleges in Illinois.

The University of Illinois system is the state’s public university system, established in 1867, which is made up of three universities and 36 colleges including Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield. There are more than 80,000 students enrolled in the public Illinois University system.

Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Colleges in Illinois

This ranking of the top schools in Illinois looks at good colleges in Illinois, whether they’re public colleges in Illinois that are part of the state system, or other private and smaller colleges in Illinois.

Each listing of the best colleges in Illinois and the top schools in Illinois covers some of the reasons these are the best Illinois colleges, ranging from the availability of diverse academic programs to financial aid.

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AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Colleges in Illinois

List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that college or university):

• DePaul University
• Illinois State University
• Loyola University Chicago
• Northwestern University
• University of Chicago
• The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Top 6 Best Colleges in Illinois | Brief Comparison

How to Choose a College Major

Choosing the right college, whether it’s one of the top schools in Illinois or elsewhere, is incredibly important, but so is choosing a major. If you want your education to pay for itself, the major you choose when you’re at one of the top schools in Illinois or anywhere else in the country is going to play a significant role in that.

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College should be looked at as an investment, particularly during a time when the average student loan debt totals in the tens of thousands of dollars. Even if you were to attend one of the best Illinois colleges, if you choose the wrong degree, you might be saddled with debt that you have a hard time repaying.

A few things to keep in mind before you attend one of the top schools in Illinois, with regard to choosing a major, include:

• Wait until you’ve started attending school before making a decision. You should try a lot of different types of classes and see what works for you. This will help you avoid wasting both time and money in a program you’re not going to stick with.
• While money shouldn’t be the only thing you think about, it’s a good idea to look at some of the average starting salaries people earn in your field. If it seems like the pay is much lower than the cost of a year of school, you might need to choose a different major.
• Think about career demand as well. Even if you choose a major or course of study that tends to have high-paying jobs waiting for graduates, if the demand isn’t there, it won’t matter.

When selecting a major, you should really do somewhat of a cost-benefit analysis. There are personal elements that go into choosing a major like interest and passion, but you also need to look at your decision as a financial investment.

AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology

What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top-rated lists?

Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top-rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.

Detailed Review Top Ranking Best Illinois Colleges

Below, please find the detailed review of each of the top Illinois colleges. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these colleges in Illinois to score so well in our selection ranking.

DePaul University Review

DePaul University is not one of the public colleges in Illinois, but it is one of the top schools in Illinois. DePaul is located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, and it’s the largest Catholic university in the U.S. There is also a campus located at the Loop.

Below are specific features of DePaul University leading to its inclusion on this ranking of the best colleges in Illinois.

Post-Graduation Employment

When looking at Illinois colleges to rank the best schools in Illinois, relevant to the decision-making process was how successful students were. This is an indicator of the type of value and academic attention provided to students.

At DePaul, more than 90 percent of 2015 undergraduate and graduate degree recipients were employed, or else continuing their education or not seeking employment within six months of graduation. Only 7% of both undergraduate and graduate students were unemployed within six months following their graduation.

Recognition

DePaul, as one of the best schools in Illinois, is frequently recognized for its excellence across many areas. For example, U.S. News and World Report named it as among the nation’s Most Innovative Schools in 2015. The Princeton Review ranked it as #3 on their list of the Best College Cities in the U.S., and the Princeton Review also ranked it as having some of the happiest students in the U.S.

In 2017 the Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Honor Roll recognized DePaul for its excellence in community college transfer pathways, and these are just a small sample of the many recognitions this pick for one of the top colleges in Illinois frequently receives.

Service Learning

DePaul is nationally recognized for service learning programs as well as experiential learning.

Since 2004 DePaul has consistently been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best schools in the country for service-learning. Service-learning at this pick for one of the best schools in Illinois is based on volunteer work that’s used as an instructional strategy.

There’s also a focus at DePaul on actively recruiting first-generation students as well as students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Illinois State University Review

Illinois State University was founded in 1857 and is located in Normal, Illinois. It’s the oldest public university in Illinois, and it’s also one of the cheapest colleges in Illinois since it’s public.

Primary reasons Illinois State University is included on this list of the top schools in Illinois and the cheapest colleges in Illinois are below.

Civic Engagement

Illinois State University is one of the cheapest colleges in Illinois and also one of the largest, but the school still promotes values such as individualized attention and civic engagement.

As part of this mission for civil engagement, this pick for one of the best schools in Illinois prepared students to be engaged and informed global citizens. The school provides active learning experiences to help students understand their responsibility regarding civic engagement.

An education at Illinois State University includes the promotion of service and outreach in local, state, and international initiatives.

Academic Colleges

Not only one of the cheapest colleges in Illinois, but again also one of the largest, ISU is made up of six different academic colleges. Educational opportunities and options are expansive at ISU, one of the best schools in Illinois. The academic colleges that are part of this university include:

• College of Applied Science and Technology
• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Fine Arts
• Mennonite College of Nursing

Student Life

As one of the top Illinois colleges, Illinois State University has a rich and thriving student life. The school publishes two newspapers and owns a public radio station as well as a student radio station. There are more than 350 registered student organizations which range from intramural sports to national student recognitions.

It has one of the largest student spirit groups in the U.S. called RED ALERT, and currently, around 14% of the student population is active in Greek Life.

Loyola University Chicago Review

Loyola University Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois, and is frequently ranked as one of the best colleges in Illinois, although it’s not one of the public colleges in Illinois. Loyola, along with being one of the best schools in Illinois, is a private, Catholic research university.

Image Source: Loyola University Chicago

Among good colleges in Illinois, the following are specifics that point to why Loyola University Chicago is ranked as one of the best Illinois colleges.

Financial Aid

The cost of attending college is constantly in the spotlight. Costs continue to rise, and students are faced with increasing debt burdens when graduating. That’s why financial aid options were important when ranking Illinois colleges and picking top colleges in Illinois.

As a private school, Loyola certainly isn’t one of the cheapest colleges in Illinois, but they do offer excellent financial aid options.

67% of full-time undergraduates receive some type of need-based financial aid here. The average need-based scholarship or grant award is more than $19,000.

Rankings

Loyola ranks well not just regarding the top schools in Illinois and among colleges in Il., but also at the national level.

For example, U.S. News and World Report ranks Loyola University Chicago as #99 on its list of the best National Universities, and #64 on its list of the Best Colleges for Veterans.

It’s also ranked #47 among best value schools nationally.

Academics

Loyola University, one of the top Illinois colleges, features extensive academic opportunities and options. For example, there are more than 80 undergraduate majors and 80 minors to choose from. There are more than 170 graduate, professional, and graduate-level certificate programs, and more than 4,000 faculty and staff members.

The undergraduate student to faculty ratio is 14:1. This pick for one of the leading Illinois colleges also has four campuses including Lake Shore, Water Tower, Health Sciences, and the John Felice Rome Center in Italy.

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Northwestern University Review

Northwestern University is one of the best colleges in Illinois and is also one of the best national universities. This private research university is based in Evanston, Illinois, and there are also campuses in Chicago, Illinois, and Doha, Qatar.

Among Illinois colleges, including both private and public colleges in Illinois, Northwestern excels. The following are some of the specifics that led to the inclusion of Northwestern on this ranking of the best Illinois colleges and universities.

Research

Northwestern is not just one of the top research colleges in Illinois. It also is nationally ranked as an excellent research university. This pick for one of the leading colleges in Illinois has 90 school-based research centers and more than 50 university research centers.

For the 2015–2016 school year, there was $650 million in annual sponsored research.

This pick for one of the top schools in Illinois and one of the best colleges in Illinois has more than ten libraries including 6 million volumes and 14 TB of digital content as well.

Image Source: Northwestern

Academics and Rankings

Northwestern is ranked not only as one of the best colleges in Illinois but also nationally. Notably, Northwestern University is ranked as #12 among all National Universities by U.S. News and World Report. It’s also ranked #18 on the list of Best Value Schools.

Northwestern, as one of the leading best schools in Illinois, also offers an extensive selection of educational options and undergraduate research opportunities. There are more than 4,000 courses and more than 190 majors, as well as study abroad programs in 50 countries.

77 percent of the classes at Northwestern have less than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio is 7:1.

Faculty

The faculty of Northwestern, one of the top colleges in Illinois, is excellent. There are around 1,200 full-time faculty members, and they include recipients of the Tony Award, the Pulitzer Prize, and the MacArthur genius grant.

Some of the faculty are members of groups like the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, as well as many other professional and honor societies.

University of Chicago Review

Among colleges in Il., including both public colleges in Illinois and private, the University of Chicago excels. It’s also one of the top universities at the national level as well.

Some of the specifics of why the University of Chicago is included on this list of the good colleges in Illinois and top Illinois colleges are below.

Location

There are so many things about the University of Chicago that make it one of the best Illinois colleges and a best national university. Just one of the many unique features that set this school apart is its location.

It’s in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, which offers big city resources and excitement. First-year students are required to live on campus, and there are separate houses within dorms, which create strong communities for students where they can go for academic and social support.

Hyde Park is a thriving, diverse Chicago neighborhood located on the shore of Lake Michigan, known for its arts and entertainment options.

National University Ranking

Many media and education outlets and organizations rank the University of Chicago as one of the best Illinois colleges and one of the best national schools. For example, US News & World Report ranked the University of Chicago as number three on its list of the best national colleges and universities behind only Princeton University and Harvard University.

The methodology used in this ranking includes looking at academic quality and offerings, activities, cost, and the availability of financial aid.

Financial Aid

The University of Chicago isn’t one of the cheapest colleges in Illinois, but they do offer excellent grants and aid options. There is a belief that while they might not be one of the cheapest colleges in Illinois, cost shouldn’t keep students from joining the community.

The Financial Aid office has a budget of $135 million for student aid. They pledge to meet 100% of the demonstrated need of all the undergraduates on campus, and the average University of Chicago aid applicant receives $45,500 in scholarships every year.

97% of students with a family income below $80,000 who applied received aid.

The University of Chicago also has the No Barriers program, which is designed to eliminate obstacles when students apply and help them leave college without student debt.

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The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Review

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the cheapest colleges in Illinois since it’s one of the top public colleges in Illinois. It’s located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, and it’s the flagship campus of the University of Illinois System.

In addition to being one of the cheapest colleges in Illinois, the following are some specifics that indicate why this is ranked as one of the top Illinois colleges among the many good colleges in Illinois.

Research and Innovation

Among top colleges in Illinois, this university excels in many ways including research and innovation. This public land-grant university highlights its responsibility to create new knowledge and ideas.

Research Park is part of the university, and it’s home to Fortune 500 companies and startups created by students.

Illinois is consistently ranked as one of the top five universities for NSF-funded research. They also have total annual research funding of more than $600 million.

Faculty

The excellent faculty of Illinois, one of the top colleges in Il., includes some of the best and brightest. They are members of organizations like the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Engineering.

Faculty from Illinois have been awarded Nobel Prizes, Pulitzer Prizes, and the Fields Medal in Mathematics.

11 alumni are also Nobel Laureates, and 18 alumni have been awarded Pulitzer Prizes.

Academic Resources

Among colleges in Il., this university also excels regarding available academic resources, which are among the best internationally. The University Library is one of the largest public collections in the world. It contains 13 million volumes and 37 unit libraries.

Students at this pick for one of the best colleges in Illinois also have access to thousands of computer terminals not only in classrooms but also libraries and residence halls.

Conclusion—Top 6 Best Colleges in Illinois

The above ranking of the top schools in Illinois and the best colleges in Illinois covers six of the very best educational institutions in the state. The ranking and review covers not only public colleges in Illinois but also good colleges in Illinois that are private.

Some of the criteria used to rank the top schools in Illinois and colleges in Il. included academic offerings and programs, student-to-faculty ratio, location, cost, financial aid, and national rankings from third-party organizations.

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