The Best Illinois Big Colleges
These are the top ranked large, public and private, four-year colleges in Illinois as ranked by CollegeSimply. These schools all have total enrollment of 20,000 or more. Leading the list for 2027 is Northwestern University. Learn how the Best Large Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
Northwestern University
- Private 4 Year
- Evanston, IL
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- 23,856 total enrollment
Northwestern is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate journalism, communications, and theater. The Evanston campus runs along Lake Michigan just north of Chicago.
- SAT Range 1510-1570
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.92
- Acceptance Rate 8%
- Net Price $26,830
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
- Public 4 Year
- Champaign, IL
-
4.4 | 5 reviews
- 59,238 total enrollment
Illinois is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate computer science and engineering. The campus spans the adjacent college towns of Champaign and Urbana.
- SAT Range 1310-1520
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.79
- Acceptance Rate 42%
- Net Price $13,973
University of Illinois Chicago
- Public 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- 33,906 total enrollment
UIC is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, architecture, and engineering. The urban campus sits on Chicago's Near West Side near the Illinois Medical District.
- SAT Range 1130-1350
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $10,852
DePaul University
- Private 4 Year
- Chicago, IL
-
3.3 | 3 reviews
- 21,210 total enrollment
DePaul is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate business, film, and theater. Its urban campuses sit in Chicago's Lincoln Park and Loop neighborhoods.
- SAT Range 1140-1330
- Avg GPA 3.8
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $34,135
Illinois State University
- Public 4 Year
- Normal, IL
-
4.8 | 4 reviews
- 21,546 total enrollment
Illinois State is a large public university known for undergraduate teacher education, nursing, and business. The residential campus sits in the college town of Normal, next to Bloomington.
- SAT Range 990-1210
- Avg GPA 3.41
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $21,369