Private
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
- Acceptance
- 7%
- In-state tuition
- $66,000
- Undergrads
- 8,800
A quarter-system university on Lake Michigan with the Medill journalism school and a strong co-op and internship culture.
Universities in Illinois
3 campuses profiled, with admission requirements, published costs, test policies and deadlines. Reviewed 2026-09-20.
Private
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
- Acceptance
- 5.4%
- In-state tuition
- $66,900
- Undergrads
- 7,500
Famous for its Core Curriculum and for supplemental essay prompts written by current students.
Public
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, Illinois
- Acceptance
- 44%
- In-state tuition
- $18,000
- Undergrads
- 35,000
Selectivity varies sharply by major: computer science and engineering admit far fewer applicants than the university average.
Studying in Illinois
This page lists the 3 universities in Illinois currently profiled in the directory: 1 public and 2 private nonprofit. Each profile carries the same fields — acceptance rate, published tuition for residents and non-residents, standardized test policy, deadlines and accreditation — so the campuses can be compared directly.
The lowest published in-state tuition in this group is at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, at about $18,000 per year before housing and fees.
The most selective is University of Chicago, reporting an acceptance rate near 5.4%.
The largest undergraduate population belongs to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with roughly 35,000 undergraduates.
If you are a resident of Illinois, the public campuses above are almost always the lowest-cost route to a bachelor's degree, and the state's community colleges add a cheaper first two years through transfer agreements. If you are applying from outside the state, compare the non-resident rate against private universities after aid before assuming the public option is cheaper — it frequently is not.
Related reading: in-state vs out-of-state tuition, financial aid and the FAFSA, and the community college transfer pathway.
Frequently asked questions
How many universities does this directory list in Illinois?
3 institutions in Illinois are profiled here: 1 public and 2 private nonprofit. The state has more institutions than this; the directory covers the campuses students most often compare.
What is the cheapest university in Illinois in this directory?
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has the lowest published in-state tuition in this list at about $18,000 per year, before housing, food and fees. Aid can lower the net price further.
Do I pay in-state tuition if I move to Illinois for university?
Usually not. Illinois, like almost every state, excludes time spent in the state primarily for education from the residency clock, so students who move to study normally remain non-residents for the whole degree.
Which university in Illinois is hardest to get into?
Among the campuses profiled here, University of Chicago reports the lowest acceptance rate at about 5.4%. Selectivity also varies sharply by major within any single university.