Best colleges for social work in Illinois
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in social work, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for social work in Illinois21 schools
21 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Illinois.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in social work, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 2
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · PublicHonor Roll#3 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 3
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade C+
- 4
Bradley University
Peoria, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 5
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 6
Lewis University
Romeoville, IL · Private nonprofitTop 18% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade A- · Top 16%
- 7
Illinois State University
Normal, IL · PublicTop 24% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B+ · Top 26%
- 8
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, IL · Private nonprofit#21 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 9
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL · Private nonprofit#22 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 10
Aurora University
Aurora, IL · Private nonprofit#25 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B+ · Top 29%
- 11
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL · Public#27 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B+ · Top 21%
- 12
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield, IL · PublicTop 15% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade A · Top 6%
- 13
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 14
Millikin University
Decatur, IL · Private nonprofit#33 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 15
Governors State University
University Park, IL · PublicTop 23% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 16
Methodist College
Peoria, IL · Private nonprofitTop 15% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade C+
- 17
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago, IL · PublicTop 18% for low debt
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 18
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL · PublicTop 25% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B+ · Top 29%
- 19
Greenville University
Greenville, IL · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B-
- 20
National Louis University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 24% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B+ · Top 31%
- 21
Concordia University-Chicago
River Forest, IL · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- Bachelor’s program in social work
- Value grade B · Top 43%
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | $14,860 | $15,000 | $91,885 | 96% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $14,355 | $19,500 | $81,054 | 85% |
| Loyola University Chicago | $36,079 | $24,157 | $71,530 | 73% |
| Bradley University | $22,719 | $27,000 | $66,852 | 76% |
| University of St. Francis | $13,006 | $21,079 | $63,926 | 67% |
| Lewis University | $17,028 | $21,500 | $66,099 | 67% |
| Illinois State University | $19,398 | $20,482 | $62,117 | 65% |
| Trinity Christian College | $19,125 | $25,009 | $55,700 | 58% |
| Olivet Nazarene University | $20,729 | $25,000 | $53,213 | 61% |
| Aurora University | $18,838 | $20,318 | $58,709 | 60% |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $14,889 | $20,500 | $56,346 | 57% |
| University of Illinois Springfield | $9,833 | $19,128 | $57,103 | 53% |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $13,297 | $21,543 | $53,390 | 62% |
| Millikin University | $21,989 | $27,000 | $51,262 | 55% |
| Governors State University | $12,329 | $18,618 | $58,169 | 22% |
| Methodist College | $41,787 | $31,250 | $69,800 | 20% |
| Northeastern Illinois University | $14,109 | $14,600 | $52,234 | 22% |
| Western Illinois University | $12,937 | $25,251 | $54,163 | 45% |
| Greenville University | $19,533 | $23,875 | $46,827 | 40% |
| National Louis University | $12,641 | $19,750 | $45,799 | 30% |
| Concordia University-Chicago | $18,436 | $23,000 | $54,089 | 36% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 16
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 10
- California 26
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 3
- Florida 14
- Georgia 12
- Hawaii 3
- Idaho 5
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 14
- Kansas 10
- Kentucky 14
- Louisiana 9
- Maine 5
- Maryland 10
- Massachusetts 12
- Michigan 22
- Minnesota 16
- Mississippi 11
- Missouri 18
- Nebraska 6
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 13
- New York 29
- North Carolina 24
- North Dakota 3
- Ohio 42
- Oklahoma 6
- Oregon 5
- Pennsylvania 34
- Puerto Rico 17
- Rhode Island 3
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 19
- Texas 34
- Utah 4
- Vermont 3
- Virginia 15
- Washington 8
- West Virginia 7
- Wisconsin 16