Universities in Illinois
Illinois has 87 degree-granting institutions reporting to the U.S. Department of Education — 12 public, 74 private nonprofit, together enrolling about 254,545 undergraduates (2024-25 data). Each links to a full financial-health and student-outcomes profile.
| # | Institution | Sector | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign · R1: Doctoral, Very High Research | Public | 36,258 |
| 2 | University of Illinois ChicagoChicago · R1: Doctoral, Very High Research | Public | 22,170 |
| 3 | Illinois State UniversityNormal · R2: Doctoral, High Research | Public | 19,057 |
| 4 | DePaul UniversityChicago · R2: Doctoral, High Research | Private | 14,090 |
| 5 | Chamberlain University-IllinoisAddison · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private for-profit | 14,027 |
| 6 | Loyola University ChicagoChicago · R2: Doctoral, High Research | Private | 11,737 |
| 7 | Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb · R2: Doctoral, High Research | Public | 11,301 |
| 8 | Northwestern UniversityEvanston · R1: Doctoral, Very High Research | Private | 9,201 |
| 9 | Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville · Doctoral/Professional University | Public | 8,750 |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale · R2: Doctoral, High Research | Public | 8,494 |
| 11 | University of ChicagoChicago · R1: Doctoral, Very High Research | Private | 7,569 |
| 12 | Columbia College ChicagoChicago · Master's, Medium Programs | Private | 5,368 |
| 13 | Western Illinois UniversityMacomb · Master's, Larger Programs | Public | 4,410 |
| 14 | National Louis UniversityChicago · Doctoral/Professional University | Private | 4,406 |
| 15 | Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston · Master's, Larger Programs | Public | 4,188 |
| 16 | Lewis UniversityRomeoville · Master's, Larger Programs | Private | 4,015 |
| 17 | Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago · Master's, Larger Programs | Public | 3,982 |
| 18 | Aurora UniversityAurora · Doctoral/Professional University | Private | 3,974 |
| 19 | Bradley UniversityPeoria · Doctoral/Professional University | Private | 3,574 |
| 20 | Saint Xavier UniversityChicago · Master's, Larger Programs | Private | 3,096 |
| 21 | Elmhurst UniversityElmhurst · Master's, Larger Programs | Private | 3,006 |
| 22 | Roosevelt UniversityChicago · Doctoral/Professional University | Private | 2,849 |
| 23 | Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago · R2: Doctoral, High Research | Private | 2,833 |
| 24 | School of the Art Institute of ChicagoChicago · Special Focus: Technology-Related | Private | 2,805 |
| 25 | Olivet Nazarene UniversityBourbonnais · Master's, Larger Programs | Private | 2,603 |
| 26 | Dominican UniversityRiver Forest · Master's, Larger Programs | Private | 2,561 |
| 27 | Governors State UniversityUniversity Park · Master's, Larger Programs | Public | 2,556 |
| 28 | Augustana CollegeRock Island · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 2,490 |
| 29 | North Central CollegeNaperville · Master's, Small Programs | Private | 2,428 |
| 30 | University of Illinois SpringfieldSpringfield · Master's, Larger Programs | Public | 2,263 |
| 31 | Wheaton CollegeWheaton · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 2,121 |
| 32 | Benedictine UniversityLisle · Master's, Larger Programs | Private | 1,942 |
| 33 | North Park UniversityChicago · Master's, Larger Programs | Private | 1,818 |
| 34 | Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 1,813 |
| 35 | McKendree UniversityLebanon · Master's, Medium Programs | Private | 1,752 |
| 36 | Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington · Baccalaureate: Diverse Fields | Private | 1,582 |
| 37 | Moody Bible InstituteChicago · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | 1,510 |
| 38 | Chicago State UniversityChicago · Master's, Larger Programs | Public | 1,384 |
| 39 | Millikin UniversityDecatur · Baccalaureate: Diverse Fields | Private | 1,382 |
| 40 | Concordia University-ChicagoRiver Forest · Master's, Larger Programs | Private | 1,323 |
| 41 | University of St FrancisJoliet · Doctoral/Professional University | Private | 1,223 |
| 42 | Knox CollegeGalesburg · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 1,127 |
| 43 | Quincy UniversityQuincy · Baccalaureate: Diverse Fields | Private | 1,010 |
| 44 | Rockford UniversityRockford · Master's, Small Programs | Private | 972 |
| 45 | Greenville UniversityGreenville · Master's, Small Programs | Private | 955 |
| 46 | Illinois CollegeJacksonville · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 930 |
| 47 | Trinity Christian CollegePalos Heights · Baccalaureate: Diverse Fields | Private | 820 |
| 48 | Judson UniversityElgin · Master's, Small Programs | Private | 708 |
| 49 | Monmouth CollegeMonmouth · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 702 |
| 50 | Eureka CollegeEureka · Baccalaureate: Diverse Fields | Private | 522 |
| 51 | Blackburn CollegeCarlinville · Baccalaureate: Diverse Fields | Private | 471 |
| 52 | East-West UniversityChicago · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 468 |
| 53 | Principia CollegeElsah · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 339 |
| 54 | Saint Francis Medical Center College of NursingPeoria · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 273 |
| 55 | Methodist CollegePeoria · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 245 |
| 56 | Blessing Rieman College of Nursing and Health SciencesQuincy · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 176 |
| 57 | Saint Anthony College of NursingRockford · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 172 |
| 58 | Rush UniversityChicago · Special Focus: Faith-Related | Private | 138 |
| 59 | St. John's College-Department of NursingSpringfield · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 126 |
| 60 | Hebrew Theological CollegeSkokie · Baccalaureate: Arts & Sciences | Private | 90 |
| 61 | Telshe Yeshiva-ChicagoChicago · Other / Unclassified | Private | 78 |
| 62 | VanderCook College of MusicChicago · Special Focus: Arts, Music & Design | Private | 76 |
| 63 | Lakeview College of NursingDanville · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 66 |
| 64 | Trinity College of Nursing & Health SciencesRock Island · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 56 |
| 65 | Trinity International University-IllinoisDeerfield · Doctoral/Professional University | Private | 55 |
| 66 | The Chicago School at ChicagoChicago · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 21 |
| 67 | American Islamic CollegeChicago · Other / Unclassified | Private | 16 |
| 68 | National University of Health SciencesLombard · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 13 |
| 69 | Adler UniversityChicago · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | 9 |
| 70 | Bexley Hall Seabury Western Theological Seminary Federation Inc.Chicago · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 71 | Catholic Theological Union at ChicagoChicago · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 72 | Chicago Theological SeminaryChicago · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 73 | Erikson InstituteChicago · Master's, Medium Programs | Private | — |
| 74 | Garrett-Evangelical Theological SeminaryEvanston · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 75 | Illinois College of OptometryChicago · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | — |
| 76 | Institute for Clinical Social WorkChicago · Special Focus: Medical Schools/Centers | Private | — |
| 77 | Lake Forest Graduate School of ManagementLake Forest · Special Focus: Engineering | Private | — |
| 78 | Lutheran School of Theology at ChicagoChicago · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 79 | McCormick Theological SeminaryChicago · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 80 | Meadville Theological School of Lombard CollegeChicago · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 81 | Midwestern University-Downers GroveDowners Grove · Special Focus: Faith-Related | Private | — |
| 82 | NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse AnesthesiaEvanston · Other / Unclassified | Private | — |
| 83 | Northern Baptist Theological SeminaryLisle · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 84 | Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and ScienceNorth Chicago · Special Focus: Faith-Related | Private | — |
| 85 | Spertus CollegeChicago · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
| 86 | Toyota Technological Institute at ChicagoChicago · Special Focus: Research Institution | Private | — |
| 87 | University of Saint Mary of the LakeMundelein · Baccalaureate/Associate's: Assoc. Dominant | Private | — |
A directory, not a ranking — listed by undergraduate enrollment. Counts and figures come from the most recent College Scorecard & IPEDS release (2024-25), which lags the current academic year by 2–3 years. Open each institution’s profile for financial health, outcomes and peer benchmarks.
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Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent release, 2024-25). Compiled by Ibex Insights. See the methodology.