Best small colleges in Illinois
Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best small colleges in Illinois25 schools
25 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in Illinois.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Fewer than 2,000 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
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL · Private nonprofit#5 in Illinois
- 1,796 undergraduates
- 78% graduate
- 2
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, IL · Private nonprofit#7 in Illinois
- 1,576 undergraduates
- 75% graduate
- 3
- 4
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for earnings
- 1,306 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
- 5
VanderCook College of Music
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofit#16 in Illinois
- 99 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
- 6
Hebrew Theological College
Skokie, IL · Private nonprofitTop 17% for low debt
- 197 undergraduates
- 50% graduate
- 7
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, IL · Private nonprofit#21 in Illinois
- 827 undergraduates
- 58% graduate
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Blackburn College
Carlinville, IL · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- 389 undergraduates
- 57% graduate
- 12
- 13
Quincy University
Quincy, IL · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- 1,130 undergraduates
- 45% graduate
- 14
North Park University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- 1,876 undergraduates
- 58% graduate
- 15
- 16
- 17
Benedictine University
Lisle, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for earnings
- 1,842 undergraduates
- 50% graduate
- 18
Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 9% for low net price
- 78 undergraduates
- 0% graduate
- 19
Chicago State University
Chicago, IL · PublicTop 23% for low net price
- 1,495 undergraduates
- 15% graduate
- 20
Trinity International University-Illinois
Deerfield, IL · Private nonprofitTop 1% for low net price
- 140 undergraduates
- 46% graduate
- 21
- 22
Greenville University
Greenville, IL · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- 905 undergraduates
- 40% graduate
- 23
- 24
Concordia University-Chicago
River Forest, IL · Private nonprofitSolid: Compass grade C+
- 1,377 undergraduates
- 36% graduate
- 25
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Forest College | $28,673 | $26,158 | $61,825 | 78% |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | $28,199 | $27,000 | $70,871 | 75% |
| Knox College | $24,595 | $27,000 | $54,820 | 68% |
| University of St. Francis | $13,006 | $21,079 | $63,926 | 67% |
| VanderCook College of Music | $19,780 | $27,000 | $47,863 | 67% |
| Hebrew Theological College | $26,861 | $14,000 | $33,291 | 50% |
| Trinity Christian College | $19,125 | $25,009 | $55,700 | 58% |
| Monmouth College | $17,133 | $27,000 | $51,110 | 65% |
| Judson University | $18,558 | $25,000 | $56,313 | 60% |
| Illinois College | $18,298 | $25,565 | $52,575 | 64% |
| Blackburn College | $18,460 | $24,242 | $46,802 | 57% |
| Millikin University | $21,989 | $27,000 | $51,262 | 55% |
| Quincy University | $20,359 | $24,000 | $50,369 | 45% |
| North Park University | $16,948 | $25,500 | $59,572 | 58% |
| McKendree University | $24,717 | $23,250 | $58,572 | 53% |
| Methodist College | $41,787 | $31,250 | $69,800 | 20% |
| Benedictine University | $22,313 | $22,500 | $63,446 | 50% |
| Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago | $7,626 | — | — | 0% |
| Chicago State University | $12,335 | $30,625 | $42,778 | 15% |
| Trinity International University-Illinois | $2,835 | $26,082 | $46,989 | 46% |
| Rockford University | $22,436 | $22,274 | $54,794 | 47% |
| Greenville University | $19,533 | $23,875 | $46,827 | 40% |
| Eureka College | $17,349 | $23,250 | $51,641 | 42% |
| Concordia University-Chicago | $18,436 | $23,000 | $54,089 | 36% |
| East-West University | $21,697 | $26,986 | $29,963 | 16% |
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 10
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 13
- California 63
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 10
- Florida 27
- Georgia 24
- Idaho 3
- Indiana 20
- Iowa 23
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 18
- Louisiana 8
- Maine 11
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 23
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 31
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 12
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 7
- New York 55
- North Carolina 34
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 58
- Oklahoma 11
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 69
- Puerto Rico 31
- South Carolina 19
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 24
- Texas 31
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 30
- Washington 12
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 15