2021 Best Colleges in Illinois by Salary Score™

We calculate our Salary Score for each college in Illinois to determine the colleges with the best salary outcomes for alumni in the first year after graduation. We compared median alumni earnings for graduates from a specific major at a college to data for the same major at other universities. We combined these program scores into our overall Salary Score to compare how each university stacks up against schools across the country. The top 25 colleges in Illinois all feature a Salary Score above the nationwide median, and two schools also rank in our 2021 list of the 50 best colleges in the U.S.: Northwestern at #24 and the University of Chicago at #32. The majority of the top schools in Illinois are located in the Chicago area.

To be considered for our state rankings, schools must offer and provide data for at least 8 bachelor's programs. You can click on a school's name to view individual program scores. Read our methodology to learn more about how schools were ranked.