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Most selective colleges in Illinois

Updated Federal and Common Data Set numbers, each with its year

The short answer

The most selective four-year colleges in Illinois are UChicago (4.5% admitted), Northwestern (7.5% admitted) and Illinois (37% admitted), by acceptance rate.

Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.

The list (25 of 51)

Four-year colleges in Illinois with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 25 of the 51 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from IPEDS (fall 2024) for 19 colleges and each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 6 colleges.

  1. University of Chicago 4.5% admitted Chicago, IL · Average price after grants: $16,776 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  2. Northwestern University 7.5% admitted Evanston, IL · Average price after grants: $34,420 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  3. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 37% admitted Champaign, IL · Average price after grants: $13,042 a year in-state, about $33,394 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  4. Illinois Wesleyan University 39% admitted Bloomington, IL · Average price after grants: $27,863 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  5. Chicago State University 43% admitted Chicago, IL · Average price after grants: $7,273 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  6. Judson University 48% admitted Elgin, IL · Average price after grants: $19,224 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  7. Governors State University 48% admitted University Park, IL · Average price after grants: $15,833 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  8. Lake Forest College 54% admitted Lake Forest, IL · Average price after grants: $24,987 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  9. Illinois Institute of Technology 55% admitted Chicago, IL · Average price after grants: $22,443 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  10. Quincy University 55% admitted Quincy, IL · Average price after grants: $22,711 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  11. Olivet Nazarene University 56% admitted Bourbonnais, IL · Average price after grants: $19,978 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  12. Augustana College 63% admitted Rock Island, IL · Average price after grants: $21,153 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  13. Eastern Illinois University 65% admitted Charleston, IL · Average price after grants: $12,717 a year in-state, about $15,324 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  14. University of St Francis 65% admitted Joliet, IL · Average price after grants: $15,961 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  15. Millikin University 67% admitted Decatur, IL · Average price after grants: $16,652 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  16. North Park University 69% admitted Chicago, IL · Average price after grants: $15,949 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  17. Northern Illinois University 70% admitted Dekalb, IL · Average price after grants: $14,505 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  18. Knox College 71% admitted Galesburg, IL · Average price after grants: $19,292 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  19. Western Illinois University 71% admitted Macomb, IL · Average price after grants: $10,018 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  20. Lewis University 71% admitted Romeoville, IL · Average price after grants: $17,318 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  21. McKendree University 72% admitted Lebanon, IL · Average price after grants: $18,457 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  22. Elmhurst University 74% admitted Elmhurst, IL · Average price after grants: $23,165 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  23. Northeastern Illinois University 75% admitted Chicago, IL · Average price after grants: $9,377 a year in-state, about $19,215 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
  24. Loyola University Chicago 75% admitted Chicago, IL · Average price after grants: $36,340 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
  25. DePaul University 76% admitted Chicago, IL · Average price after grants: $27,108 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in Illinois?

The most selective four-year colleges in Illinois are UChicago (4.5% admitted), Northwestern (7.5% admitted) and Illinois (37% admitted), by acceptance rate.

How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?

7 of the 25 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.

How recent are these acceptance rates?

Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.

Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.

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