Best colleges for computer science in Illinois
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in computer science, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for computer science in Illinois39 schools
39 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Illinois.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in computer science, 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 computer science
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 2
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 3
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · PublicHonor Roll#3 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 4
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B-
- 5
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL · Private nonprofit#5 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B-
- 6
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade A- · Top 17%
- 7
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, IL · Private nonprofit#7 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B-
- 8
Knox College
Galesburg, IL · Private nonprofit#8 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B-
- 9
Augustana College
Rock Island, IL · Private nonprofit#10 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B
- 10
Bradley University
Peoria, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 11
DePaul University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B-
- 12
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL · PublicTop 16% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 13
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 14
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B · Top 43%
- 15
Lewis University
Romeoville, IL · Private nonprofitTop 18% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade A- · Top 16%
- 16
North Central College
Naperville, IL · Private nonprofit#18 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B · Top 45%
- 17
Illinois State University
Normal, IL · PublicTop 24% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B+ · Top 26%
- 18
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, IL · Private nonprofit#21 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 19Tie
Monmouth College
Monmouth, IL · Private nonprofit#22 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B
- 19Tie
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL · Private nonprofit#22 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B-
- 21
Aurora University
Aurora, IL · Private nonprofit#25 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B+ · Top 29%
- 22
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL · Public#27 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B+ · Top 21%
- 23
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield, IL · PublicTop 15% for low net price
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade A · Top 6%
- 24
Illinois College
Jacksonville, IL · Private nonprofit#29 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B
- 25
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- Bachelor’s program in computer science
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
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% |
| Northwestern University | $29,167 | $15,000 | $89,363 | 95% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $14,355 | $19,500 | $81,054 | 85% |
| Wheaton College | $26,975 | $23,250 | $63,756 | 85% |
| Lake Forest College | $28,673 | $26,158 | $61,825 | 78% |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | $18,425 | $25,000 | $82,592 | 75% |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | $28,199 | $27,000 | $70,871 | 75% |
| Knox College | $24,595 | $27,000 | $54,820 | 68% |
| Augustana College | $22,736 | $27,000 | $62,971 | 73% |
| Bradley University | $22,719 | $27,000 | $66,852 | 76% |
| DePaul University | $30,902 | $23,168 | $68,751 | 68% |
| University of Illinois Chicago | $10,974 | $16,704 | $68,740 | 62% |
| University of St. Francis | $13,006 | $21,079 | $63,926 | 67% |
| Elmhurst University | $24,185 | $20,489 | $61,462 | 70% |
| Lewis University | $17,028 | $21,500 | $66,099 | 67% |
| North Central College | $21,044 | $24,500 | $60,123 | 64% |
| Illinois State University | $19,398 | $20,482 | $62,117 | 65% |
| Trinity Christian College | $19,125 | $25,009 | $55,700 | 58% |
| Monmouth College | $17,133 | $27,000 | $51,110 | 65% |
| 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% |
| Illinois College | $18,298 | $25,565 | $52,575 | 64% |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $13,297 | $21,543 | $53,390 | 62% |
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 11
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 9
- California 54
- Colorado 10
- Connecticut 11
- District of Columbia 6
- Florida 19
- Georgia 12
- Hawaii 5
- Idaho 5
- Indiana 28
- Iowa 19
- Kansas 7
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 14
- Maine 7
- Maryland 11
- Massachusetts 33
- Michigan 20
- Minnesota 24
- Mississippi 5
- Missouri 21
- Montana 6
- Nebraska 6
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 12
- New York 46
- North Carolina 24
- Ohio 40
- Oklahoma 7
- Oregon 8
- Pennsylvania 44
- Puerto Rico 13
- Rhode Island 6
- South Carolina 12
- Tennessee 25
- Texas 27
- Utah 8
- Vermont 8
- Virginia 18
- Washington 13
- West Virginia 7
- Wisconsin 17