Colleges and Universities in Illinois
The Blues Brothers and Ferris Bueller rolled around Chicago for a reason: It's the playground of Illinois. From summertime blues and barbecue festivals to sailing on Lake Michigan, the city draws students from all across the state. Party at night on Rush and Division Streets or walk through world-class art and history museums. Take a study break at historical ballparks, stadiums and concert halls. More than 60 state parks offer hiking, boating and camping to students breaking from classrooms in Carbondale, Chicago, Evanston, Urbana-Champaign and Springfield.
Colleges and universities span the state from north to south, including renowned institutions like Northwestern University, The University of Illinois, and De Paul University. Students also enjoy a wide selection of options among public and private colleges and online degree programs.
The Illinois economy and careers after college
Traditionally, the Illinois economy was built on a wide economic base balanced between agriculture, manufacturing, and energy. Today's top employers are in the education, financial, insurance and health care sectors and include businesses such as Abbott Laboratories, Allstate Insurance Company, Chase Bank, Loyola University Hospital and more. Occupations with the most openings in the state and the associated mean wages earned by workers in those fields, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, were:
- Accountants and auditors: $70,970
- Elementary school teachers:$59,460
- General and operations managers:$112,950
- Lawyers:$132,620
- Management analysts: $86,650
- Postsecondary teachers: $78,960
- Registered nurses: $67,530
- Secondary school teachers:$67,110
These careers all require a postsecondary education to enter the field. Illinois could be the educational answer for you and provide you with a place to work and play as well as to launch a career.
See also: Illinois Vocational Schools and Career Training
Directory of Illinois Colleges & Universities
Campus & Online Schools Accepting Students from Illinois
For over 110 years, Northwestern College has been proud to help students like you succeed.
- Chicago
- Bridgeview
Set your career in motion at Virginia College Online.
- Online
Get hands-on training with Le Cordon Bleu Schools of North America.
- Chicago
Get the certification you're looking for at Computer Systems Institute!
- Gurnee
- Elgin
- Chicago
For over 35 years, Keiser University has provided student-centered, quality career education.
- Online
The USC School of Social Work’s MSW@USC offers the opportunity to earn a Master of Social Work degree through the Virtual Academic Center without relocating to Southern California.
- Online
- Master of Social Work
At University of Phoenix, we believe everyone deserves access to higher education.
- Online
- Chicago
- Warrenville
- Schaumburg
Other Colleges & Universities in Illinois
- American Academy of Art
- Chicago, Illinois www.aaart.edu
- Augustana College
- Rock Island, Illinois www.augustana.edu
- Aurora University
- Aurora, Illinois; also Williams Bay, WI (Lake Geneva) www.aurora.edu
- Benedictine University at Springfield
- Springfield, Illinois (formerly Springfield College) www.sci.edu
- Black Hawk College
- Moline, Kewanee, Illinois www.bhc.edu
- Blackburn College
- Carlinville, Illinois www.blackburn.edu
- Bradley University
- Peoria, Illinois www.bradley.edu
- Carl Sandburg College
- Galesburg, Carthage, Bushnell, Illinois www.sandburg.edu
- Chicago State University
- Chicago, Illinois www.csu.edu
- Christian Life College
- Mount Prospect, Illinois www.christianlifecollege.edu
- College of DuPage
- Glenn Ellyn, Illinois www.cod.edu
- College of Lake County
- Grayslake, Illinois www.clcillinois.edu
- Columbia College
- Chicago, Illinois www.colum.edu
- Concordia University Chicago
- River Forest, Illinois www.cuchicago.edu
- Danville Area Community College
- Danville, Illinois www.dacc.edu
- DePaul University
- Chicago, Illinois www.depaul.edu
- Dominican University
- River Forest, Illinois www.dom.edu
- East-West University
- Chicago, Illinois www.eastwest.edu
- Eastern Illinois University
- Charleston, IL www.eiu.edu
- Elgin Community College
- Elgin, Illinois www.elgin.edu
- Elmhurst College
- Elmhurst, Illinois www.elmhurst.edu
- Eureka College
- Eureka, Illinois www.eureka.edu
- Frontier Community College
- Fairfield, Illinois (Illinois Eastern Community Colleges) www.iecc.edu/fcc/
- Greenville College
- Greenville, Illinois www.greenville.edu
- Harold Washington College
- Chicago, Illinois (City Colleges of Chicago) hwashington.ccc.edu
- Harry S Truman College
- Chicago, Illinois (City Colleges of Chicago) www.trumancollege.cc
- Heartland Community College
- Normal, Illinois www.heartland.edu
- Highland Community College
- Freeport, Illinois www.highland.edu
- Illinois Central College
- East Peoria, IL www.icc.edu
- Illinois College
- Jacksonville, Illinois www.ic.edu
- Illinois Institute of Technology
- Chicago, Illinois www.iit.edu
- Illinois State University
- Normal, IL www.ilstu.edu
- Illinois Valley Community College
- Oglesby, Illinois www.ivcc.edu
- Illinois Wesleyan University
- Bloomington, Illinois www.iwu.edu
- John A Logan College
- Carterville, Illinois www.jalc.edu
- John Wood Community College
- Quincy, Illinois www.jwcc.edu
- Joliet Junior College
- Joliet, Romeoville, Morris, Illinois www.jjc.edu
- Judson University
- Elgin, Illinois www.judsonu.edu
- Kankakee Community College
- Kankakee, Illinois www.kcc.edu
- Kaskaskia College
- Centralia, Illinois www.kaskaskia.edu
- Kendall College
- Chicago, Illinois www.kendall.edu
- Kennedy-King College
- Chicago, Illinois (City Colleges of Chicago) kennedyking.ccc.edu
- Kishwaukee College
- Malta, Illinois www.kishwaukeecollege.edu
- Knox College
- Galesburg, Illinois www.knox.edu
- Lake Forest College
- Lake Forest, Illinois www.lakeforest.edu
- Lake Land College
- Mattoon, Illinois www.lakelandcollege.edu
- Lewis and Clark Community College
- Godfrey, Illinois www.lc.edu
- Lincoln Christian College and Seminary
- Lincoln, Illinois www.lincolnchristian.edu
- Lincoln College
- Lincoln, Illinois www.lincolncollege.edu
- Lincoln Land Community College
- Springfield, Illinois www.llcc.edu
- Lincoln Trail College
- Robinson, Illinois (Illinois Eastern Community Colleges)
- Loyola University Chicago
- Chicago, Illinois www.luc.edu
- MacCormac College
- Chicago, Illinois www.maccormac.edu
- MacMurray College
- Jacksonville, Illinois www.mac.edu
- Malcolm X College
- Chicago, Illinois (City Colleges of Chicago) malcolmx.ccc.edu
- McHenry County College
- Crystal Lake, Illinois www.mchenry.edu
We've been collecting links to universities and colleges in Illinois, where you can find information on admissions, courses, degree programs and more. We hope these links help your Illinois college search, but please note that each school is responsible for its own website, business practices and academic standards.
