Top Ranked Colleges

The Best Colleges in Ranked for 2018

These are the best four year colleges in as ranked by CollegeSimply. This ranking is a subset of our national ranking of the best colleges in America. Our ranking methodology is purely statistical and not subjective in nature. Measuring factors include but are not limited to: student body intellect as indicated by admission scores, graduation rate and admission selectivity. In order to be considered for the ranking, a school must offer four year undergraduate degrees, selectively admit students and be a non-profit institution. Leading our 2018 ranking as the best college in is University of Chicago.

List of The Best Colleges & Universities in

Rank	College	National Academic Rank1	National Selectivity Rank2	National Graduation Rank3
1	University of Chicago	3	8	28
2	Northwestern University	18	17	17
3	University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign	45	530	117
4	Illinois Wesleyan University	87	483	118
5	Illinois Institute of Technology	111	447	437
6	Wheaton College	88	1,111	70
7	Bradley University	262	828	213
8	Loyola University Chicago	238	915	290
9	School of the Art Institute of Chicago	261	510	540
10	North Central College	487	512	438
11	Lewis University	356	511	458
12	University of St Francis	721	284	460
13	Trinity Christian College	331	830	439
14	Trinity International University	427	531	662
15	Eureka College	354	680	412
16	Dominican University	387	647	459
17	Elmhurst College	486	887	289
18	Monmouth College	788	338	632
19	University of Illinois at Springfield	561	682	514
20	University of Illinois at Chicago	263	942	721
21	Northern Illinois University	678	339	660
22	Concordia University Chicago	719	300	541
23	Millikin University	829	646	413
24	Olivet Nazarene University	386	1,076	661
25	Greenville College	828	482	785
26	Quincy University	516	716	860
27	Robert Morris University Illinois	1,342	52	172
28	Eastern Illinois University	1,331	250	571
29	Rockford College	357	387	1,420
30	Judson University	300	979	902
31	McKendree University	720	770	722
32	Augustana College	1,327	337	198
33	Roosevelt University	560	916	1,004
34	Southern Illinois University Carbondale	627	1,045	1,069
35	Lincoln Christian University	1,090	361	1,129
36	Illinois State University	1,334	1,331	268
37	Chicago State University	207	481	1,572
38	Blackburn College	1,181	385	935
39	Lake Forest College	1,336	448	326
40	North Park University	515	1,415	786
41	Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	917	1,332	788
42	Western Illinois University	1,347	513	749
43	Knox College	1,335	681	171
44	Saint Xavier University	1,003	980	787
45	Moody Bible Institute	1,340	594	358
46	Illinois College	1,333	386	631
47	Hebrew Theological College	355	1,383	1,666
48	DePaul University	1,329	829	388
49	MacMurray College	1,156	428	1,311
50	Aurora University	916	1,312	1,068

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Ranking Methodology

Overall Rank is calculated based on the following school characteristics.

¹National Academic Rank is calculated using standardized test admission data as well as GPA data for admitted freshman.
²National Selectivity Rank is based on admission selectivity for incoming students starting the 2016-2017 academic year.
³National Graduation Rank is based on the percentage of students graduating with bachelor's degrees within six years.