18 IL Colleges Among 500 'That Shine' With Top Salaries For Grads: Forbes

ILLINOIS — Several Illinois colleges are among 500 “that shine,” according to Forbes’ annual ranking of America’s Top Colleges released Wednesday.

Forbes said its ranking “showcases 500 colleges that produce successful, high-earning and influential graduates from all economic backgrounds, with less student debt.”

Despite the “financial and cultural war on higher education” waged by the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans, “American colleges are still delivering gold-standard undergraduate education,” Forbes said.

Forbes considered 14 metrics to determine the top 500 that offer the best educational, financial and career outcomes.

In Illinois, colleges that shine are:

University of Chicago, Chicago

• Overall ranking: 13
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $58,877
• Average debt: $13,890
• Median 20-year salary: $151,000
• Financial grade: A

Northwestern University, Evanston

• Overall ranking: 16
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $64,463
• Average debt: $7,403
• Median 20-year salary: $144,700
• Financial grade: A+

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

• Overall ranking: 38
• Type: Public
• Average grant aid: $17,524
• Average debt: $7,193
• Median 20-year salary: $144,200
• Financial grade: N/A

University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago

• Overall ranking: 108
• Type: Public
• Average grant aid: $15,421
• Average debt: $7,494
• Median 20-year salary: $125,900
• Financial grade: N/A

Wheaton College, Wheaton

• Overall ranking: 159
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $25,196
• Average debt: $6,748
• Median 20-year salary: $131,900
• Financial grade: A+

Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago

• Overall ranking: 171
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $43,437
• Average debt: $7,324
• Median 20-year salary: $146,300
• Financial grade: D

DePaul University, Chicago

• Overall ranking: 208
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $27,782
• Average debt: $7,047
• Median 20-year salary: $130,500
• Financial grade: B-

Loyola University Chicago, Chicago

• Overall ranking: 242
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $27,123
• Average debt: $9,837
• Median 20-year salary: $126,800
• Financial grade: B

Illinois State University, Normal

• Overall ranking: 260
• Type: Public
• Average grant aid: $11,590
• Average debt: $7,691
• Median 20-year salary: $116,300
• Financial grade: N/A

Bradley University, Peoria

• Overall ranking: 305
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $27,989
• Average debt: $7,883
• Median 20-year salary: $127,300
• Financial grade: C

Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington

• Overall ranking: 329
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $36,999
• Average debt: $8,522
• Median 20-year salary: $124,500
• Financial grade: B-

Augustana College, Rock Island

• Overall ranking: 346
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $36,474
• Average debt: $7,905
• Median 20-year salary: $126,700
• Financial grade: B

Lewis University, Romeoville

• Overall ranking: 376
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $26,606
• Average debt: $9,972
• Median 20-year salary: $111,000
• Financial grade: C+

Northern Illinois University, DeKalb

• Overall ranking: 379
• Type: Public
• Average grant aid: $13,565
• Average debt: $6,218
• Median 20-year salary: $118,000
• Financial grade: N/A

University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield

• Overall ranking: 387
• Type: Public
• Average grant aid: $14,182
• Average debt: $5,279
• Median 20-year salary: $108,200
• Financial grade: N/A

Lake Forest College, Lake Forest

• Overall ranking: 390
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $38,424
• Average debt: $6,710
• Median 20-year salary: $125,700
• Financial grade: C+

Elmhurst University, Elmhurst

• Overall ranking: 403
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $29,445
• Average debt: $7,227
• Median 20-year salary: $102,700
• Financial grade: B-

North Central College, Naperville

• Overall ranking: 458
• Type: Private not-for-profit
• Average grant aid: $30,619
• Average debt: $7,648
• Median 20-year salary: $124,200
• Financial grade: C+

For more information on where other colleges in Illinois and elsewhere were ranked, go to Forbes.

Forbes’ Top 10 schools are:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Massachusetts)
2. Columbia University (New York)
3. Princeton University (New Jersey)
4. Stanford University (California)
5. University of California-Berkeley
6. Harvard University (Massachusetts)
7. Williams College (Massachusetts)
8. Johns Hopkins University (Maryland)
9. Yale University (Connecticut)
10. University of Pennsylvania

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