Illinois Private Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
Below is a list of the 38 private colleges in Illinois with the highest ACT Score for incoming freshmen. University of Chicago leads the list with an average ACT Score of 34. Alternatively, check out the SAT version of these rankings.
The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges to evaluate applicants. It is not a guarantee of success in college, but it is a strong indicator of academic potential.
| College | Average ACT Score |
|---|---|
|
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois |
34 |
|
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois |
34 |
|
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois |
30 |
|
Wheaton College
Wheaton, Illinois |
30 |
|
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, Illinois |
29 |
|
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois |
29 |
|
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois |
28 |
|
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois |
28 |
|
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois |
27 |
|
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois |
26 |
|
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois |
26 |
|
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois |
26 |
|
University of St Francis
Joliet, Illinois |
26 |
|
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois |
25 |
|
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois |
25 |
|
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois |
23 |
|
Benedictine University
Lisle, Illinois |
23 |
|
Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois |
23 |
This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026
Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.