Here Are The Best Colleges In Illinois, According To Niche

ACROSS ILLINOIS — The University of Chicago is the best college in Illinois according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform. In all, 20 colleges in Illinois were ranked among the best.

More than 4,000 U.S. colleges and universities were ranked in the 2026 Best Colleges in America

The top five colleges in Illinois are:

1. University of Chicago
Overall Niche grade: Ranked no. 18 nationally and given an A+
Acceptance rate: 5%
Net price: $27,979 per year
SAT range: 1510 to 1570

2. Northwestern University
Overall Niche grade: Ranked no. 22 nationally and given an A+
Acceptance rate: 7%
Net price: $23,341 per year
SAT range: 1490 to 1560

3. University of Illinois - Urbana
Overall Niche grade: Ranked no. 47 nationally and given an A+
Acceptance rate: 44%
Net price: $14,297 per year
SAT range: 1270 to 1510

4. Wheaton College
Overall Niche grade: Ranked no. 161 nationally and given an A-
Acceptance rate: 90%
Net price: $31,346 per year
SAT range: 1260 to 1440

5. Moody Bible Institute
Overall Niche grade: Ranked no. 165 nationally and given an A-
Acceptance rate: 90%
Net price: $31,346 per year
SAT range: 1260 to 1440

Other Illinois schools and their rankings are found on the Niche website.

Niche also ranked the best colleges for athletics, student life, dorm life and other aspects of college life that are important to students.

2026 Best Colleges in America

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
3. Stanford University, Stanford, California
4. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
5. Dartmouth University, Hanover, New Hampshire

2026 Colleges with the Best Student Life in America

1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
2. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
3. University of California, Los Angeles
4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
5. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

2026 Best College Athletics in America

1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
2. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
3. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
4. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
5. 5. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

“We built Niche to help students and families cut through the noise and make informed choices,” Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a news release. “Our rankings are designed to reflect not just data, but the real voices and lived experiences of students across the country. That blend of insight is what makes Niche unique. We’re giving students the clarity to identify the colleges where they see themselves belonging and succeeding.”

Niche’s rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation; enrollment, graduation, and alumni earnings statistics; and more than 1 million college reviews from students and alumni. More about the methodology is found on the website.

• Related: Forbes Names 20 Colleges ‘New Ivies,’ Notes Employers Prefer Them

All of Niche's best colleges rankings can be found here.