Illinois Private Colleges Ranked by Highest SAT Score
Below is a list of the 39 private colleges in Illinois with the highest SAT Score for incoming freshmen. University of Chicago leads the list with an average SAT Score of 1545. Alternatively, check out the ACT version of these rankings.
The SAT 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 SAT Score |
|---|---|
|
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois |
1545 |
|
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois |
1540 |
|
Wheaton College
Wheaton, Illinois |
1365 |
|
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, Illinois |
1310 |
|
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois |
1310 |
|
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois |
1291 |
|
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois |
1265 |
|
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois |
1235 |
|
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois |
1230 |
|
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois |
1195 |
|
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, Illinois |
1185 |
|
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois |
1182 |
|
Benedictine University
Lisle, Illinois |
1165 |
|
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois |
1154 |
|
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois |
1150 |
|
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois |
1145 |
|
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois |
1125 |
|
University of St Francis
Joliet, Illinois |
1125 |
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.