Best mid-size colleges in Illinois
Colleges with 2,000 to 10,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best mid-size colleges in Illinois24 schools
24 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Illinois.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- 2,000 to 10,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- 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
- 7,643 undergraduates
- 96% graduate
- 2
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 9,157 undergraduates
- 95% graduate
- 3
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Illinois
- 2,119 undergraduates
- 85% graduate
- 4
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- 3,316 undergraduates
- 75% graduate
- 5
- 6
Bradley University
Peoria, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- 3,883 undergraduates
- 76% graduate
- 7
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- 3,138 undergraduates
- 70% graduate
- 8
Lewis University
Romeoville, IL · Private nonprofitTop 18% for earnings
- 3,948 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
- 9
North Central College
Naperville, IL · Private nonprofit#18 in Illinois
- 2,397 undergraduates
- 64% graduate
- 10
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, IL · Private nonprofit#22 in Illinois
- 2,569 undergraduates
- 61% graduate
- 11
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 25% for graduation
- 2,762 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
- 12
- 13
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL · Public#27 in Illinois
- 8,975 undergraduates
- 57% graduate
- 14
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield, IL · PublicTop 15% for low net price
- 2,342 undergraduates
- 53% graduate
- 15
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL · PublicGood: Compass grade B
- 8,195 undergraduates
- 62% graduate
- 16
Saint Xavier University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 18% for low net price
- 3,039 undergraduates
- 57% graduate
- 17
Dominican University
River Forest, IL · Private nonprofitTop 20% for low net price
- 2,397 undergraduates
- 55% graduate
- 18
Governors State University
University Park, IL · PublicTop 23% for low net price
- 2,536 undergraduates
- 22% graduate
- 19
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL · PublicTop 25% for low net price
- 6,849 undergraduates
- 47% graduate
- 20
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago, IL · PublicTop 18% for low debt
- 4,042 undergraduates
- 22% graduate
- 21
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL · PublicTop 25% for low net price
- 5,025 undergraduates
- 45% graduate
- 22
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit#48 in Illinois
- 6,344 undergraduates
- 52% graduate
- 23
- 24
National Louis University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 24% for low net price
- 4,239 undergraduates
- 30% graduate
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% |
| Wheaton College | $26,975 | $23,250 | $63,756 | 85% |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | $18,425 | $25,000 | $82,592 | 75% |
| Augustana College | $22,736 | $27,000 | $62,971 | 73% |
| Bradley University | $22,719 | $27,000 | $66,852 | 76% |
| 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% |
| Olivet Nazarene University | $20,729 | $25,000 | $53,213 | 61% |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | $49,790 | $27,000 | $40,151 | 67% |
| 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% |
| Saint Xavier University | $10,970 | $22,223 | $58,656 | 57% |
| Dominican University | $11,745 | $24,411 | $60,327 | 55% |
| Governors State University | $12,329 | $18,618 | $58,169 | 22% |
| Eastern Illinois University | $12,786 | $21,500 | $51,989 | 47% |
| Northeastern Illinois University | $14,109 | $14,600 | $52,234 | 22% |
| Western Illinois University | $12,937 | $25,251 | $54,163 | 45% |
| Columbia College Chicago | $26,598 | $25,000 | $42,195 | 52% |
| Roosevelt University | $20,194 | $22,000 | $48,712 | 35% |
| National Louis University | $12,641 | $19,750 | $45,799 | 30% |
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
- Arkansas 9
- California 36
- Colorado 15
- Connecticut 14
- District of Columbia 4
- Florida 21
- Georgia 28
- Hawaii 4
- Idaho 3
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 5
- Kansas 5
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 12
- Maine 8
- Maryland 9
- Massachusetts 30
- Michigan 13
- Minnesota 18
- Mississippi 5
- Missouri 16
- Nebraska 4
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 14
- New York 61
- North Carolina 12
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 32
- Oklahoma 9
- Oregon 7
- Pennsylvania 43
- Puerto Rico 20
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 12
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 15
- Texas 35
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 13
- Washington 9
- West Virginia 5
- Wisconsin 18
- Wyoming 3