Colleges & Universities in Illinois

About Colleges & Universities in Illinois

Illinois is home to 164 accredited postsecondary institutions, spanning 101 four-year colleges and universities and 63 two-year community and technical colleges. Of these, 64 are publicly funded, offering subsidized in-state tuition for Illinois residents. Our composite scores combine acceptance rate, six-year graduation rate, net price for lower-income students, and enrollment to produce a single 0–100 quality signal for each institution. The average composite score across Illinois colleges is 51 out of 100.

The average acceptance rate across Illinois colleges with available data is 73%, compared to the national median of around 65%. Selectivity varies enormously — from highly competitive research universities that admit fewer than 15% of applicants to open-enrollment community colleges that welcome all students. Use the "Acceptance Rate" sort to find the most and least selective options.

When choosing a college in Illinois, look beyond the sticker price. The net price for families earning under $30,000 per year is often far lower than published tuition after grants and scholarships are applied. Sort by "Most Affordable" to surface institutions where lower-income students pay the least out of pocket. You can also compare colleges in Illinois side by side to evaluate fit across every dimension.