Schools
4 IL Universities Ranked Among Top 100 In U.S. News & World Report
See which Illinois colleges landed on U.S. News & World Report's roundup of the best in the nation for 2025.
ILLINOIS — Four Illinois colleges were ranked among the top 100 in the country, according to new 2025 Best Colleges rankings released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report.
The rankings evaluated 1,500 colleges and universities using more than a dozen measures of academic quality, the digital media company said in a news release. This year in its rankings, U.S. News prioritized social mobility — that is, its record in enrolling and graduating students from all backgrounds with manageable debt — and post-graduate success, including earnings.
Here are the rankings for Illinois schools:
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#6 —Northwestern University
#11 — University of Chicago
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#33 — University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
#80 — University of Illinois Chicago
Included in the 2025 report are specialized rankings such as the best value schools, most innovative colleges, top performers on social mobility and historically Black colleges and universities, as well as universities with the greatest commitment to undergraduate teaching. Other specialty rankings include programs that enhance student experiences, including first-year experiences, service learning, studying abroad and undergraduate research and creative projects.
Dominican University ranked third in the midwest among top performing schools on social mobility. Dominican also ranked first in the midwest among best value schools.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earned a nod as the number five school in the nation for students to study software engineering.
The top national universities are:
- Princeton University in New Jersey
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Harvard University in Massachusetts
- Stanford University in California
- Yale University in Connecticut
The top national liberal arts colleges are:
- Williams College in Massachusetts
- Amherst College in Massachusetts
- Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania
- United States Naval Academy in Maryland
- Bowdoin College in Maine and Pomona College in California (tie)
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