Best Colleges in Illinois

Illinois is a Midwestern state with largely hot, humid summers and cold winters. While Chicago may be the most widely-known city, considered a microcosm of the US, the state capital is actually Springfield, a city in the Southern part of the a state. Colleges in Illinois include 2-year, 4-year, and technical institutions, among non- and for-profit options. The largest institution in the state is the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, while the highest-ranking is the University of Chicago. Illinois is a hotbed for business. Home to the CME Group and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, financial and business services are top industries in the Land of Lincoln. Advanced manufacturing (primarily of machinery), education, and agriculture all play significant roles in the Prairie State’s economy. The Magnificent Mile, Starved Rock State Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Dana-Thomas House built by Frank Lloyd Wright are just a few attractions Illinois offers.

How Were the Top Schools in Illinois Chosen?

Appily determines “Best Colleges” based on publicly-available information from the US Department of Education. Several factors include, but are not limited to, data about admitted students’ academic calibers, students’ expected career outcomes after graduation, and colleges’ investments toward making their institution accessible to all students.

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With campus adjacent to Grant Park, Meadville Lombard Theological School is a Unitarian Universalist seminary in Chicago. Meadville Lombard confers master’s degrees in Divinity, Leadership Studies, and Religion with an emphasis on multifaith and...

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Established in 1913, Northern Seminary is a private, Christ-centered institution located in Lisle, Illinois. The seminary offers six core degree and certificate programs, providing postgraduate education in fields of study including Divinity...

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As one of the oldest nurse anesthesia institutions in the United States, The NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia is healthcare training academy in the Chicagoland area. The School of Nurse Anesthesia is home to a 3-year DNP...

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Northwest Suburban College is a health sciences institution in the Chicagoland area with a focus on accelerated curricula. NWSC is home to certification programs for Pharmacy Technician, Dental Assistant, and Medical Assistant as well as a Continuing...

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Founded with the support of Mexico’s Universidad Vasco de Quiroga, Quiroga College is a Roman Catholic institution in Chicago dedicated to training future ethical business leaders. Quiroga grants associate degrees in Business, Culinary Arts, and...

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With campus adjacent to Grant Park, Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership is a Jewish graduate school in Chicago. Spertus Institute offers master’s degree programs in Jewish Studies and Jewish Professional Studies. The Institute’s...

The Chicago School at Chicago

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago is a graduate school and member of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology. The Chicago School uses a special model of education, The Engage Practitioner Model...

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Formed by a partnership between Japan’s Toyota Technological Institute and the University of Chicago, the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago is a graduate school of computer science. TTIC offers a PhD in Computer Science with a focus on...

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As the largest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States, the University of St. Mary of the Lake is a graduate school in the Chicagoland area dedicated to training students for the priesthood. St. Mary of the Lake confers master’s degrees in...

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Originally founded as a Christian Studies Center, Urbana Theological Seminary is an Evangelical Christian graduate school in central Illinois with a Biblical focus. Urbana Seminary offers a Master of Divinity program as well as ministry training...