2022 Illinois Best Colleges Tuition Comparison

This page compares the best colleges in Illinois with tuition, admission, and more academic facts (Ranking data from College Evaluator). For the academic year 2021-2022, University of Chicago rank first in the best Illinois college ranking and Northwestern University is placed in second.

Admission Comparison Between Best Colleges in Illinois

1 public and 9 private schools rank in the best Illinois colleges. The schools' average acceptance rate is 58.70% where University of Chicago has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 7% and Principia College has the highest rate of 93%. Total 133,510 students are attending one of the best Illinois schools where University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has the largest population with 52,679 students and Principia College has the smallest number of students (340 students). The average graduation rate is 81.60% and the average students to faculty ratio is 10.90:1 at those colleges.
The following table shows the academic information and key facts of the best Illinois colleges including acceptance rate, graduation rate, student population, and students to faculty ratio.
Table. Illinois Best Colleges Overview
RankName Acceptance RateSAT ScoreGraduation RatePopulationStudent-Faculty Ratio
1University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
7%1,53596%17,8345:1 (20.00 %)
2Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
9%1,49095%22,6036:1 (16.67 %)
3Principia College
Elsah, IL
93%1,11275%3406:1 (16.67 %)
4University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
63%1,33086%52,67920:1 (5.00 %)
5Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL
61%1,29572%6,32512:1 (8.33 %)
6Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL
87%1,33088%2,90810:1 (10.00 %)
7Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL
71%1,23076%16,89314:1 (7.14 %)
8Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, IL
57%1,20082%1,63611:1 (9.09 %)
9Lewis University
Romeoville, IL
66%1,11570%6,43713:1 (7.69 %)
10Bradley University
Peoria, IL
73%1,18076%5,85512:1 (8.33 %)
Average58.70%1,28281.60%133,510 (Total)10.90:1 (9.17 %)

Best Illinois Colleges 2022 Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimated Costs

The following table lists 2021-2022 tuition & fees and compares them between the best Illinois colleges. The 2021-2022 costs are officially published by IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education. The estimated costs for the academic year 2022-2023 are calculated and estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2021 to 2022.

For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best Illinois colleges is $45,018 where University of Chicago has the most expensive costs at $62,241 and Principia College has the lowest amount of tuition at $30,820. The average graduate tuition & fees of the best Illinois colleges is $31,567 where University of Chicago has the highest tuition with $63,936 and Lewis University has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $14,960.
UndergraduateGraduate
Table. Best Illinois Colleges 2022 Undergraduate Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimation
RankSchool Name 2022 Tuition & Fees2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees
In-StateOut-of-StateIn-StateOut-of-State
1University of Chicago $62,241$63,977
2Northwestern University $60,768$62,908
3Principia College $30,820$30,920
4University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign $15,442$32,892 $15,740 $33,187
5Illinois Institute of Technology $50,490$50,490
6Wheaton College $40,820$42,616
7Loyola University Chicago $47,808$49,622
8Illinois Wesleyan University $52,512$53,715
9Lewis University $35,472$36,495
10Bradley University $36,360$37,262
Average$15,442$45,018$15,740$46,119
Table. Best Illinois Colleges 2022 Graduate School Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimation
RankSchool Name 2022 Tuition & Fees2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees
In-StateOut-of-StateIn-StateOut-of-State
1University of Chicago $63,936$66,417
2Northwestern University $56,567$56,567
3Principia College --
4University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign $17,823$30,862 $17,823$17,734
5Illinois Institute of Technology $30,822$30,950
6Wheaton College $18,096$18,794
7Loyola University Chicago $19,894$20,663
8Illinois Wesleyan University --
9Lewis University $14,960$15,142
10Bradley University $17,400$17,768
Average$17,823$31,567$17,734$32,245