Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives

Best Biology Colleges in Illinois

52 accredited institutions in Illinois offering biology programs, ranked by annual graduates (IPEDS 2023–24).

52
Colleges
10,965
Graduates/yr
12
Public
Bachelor's
Top Degree

Ranked: Biology Programs in Illinois

1
PublicBachelor's
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago
1,917
Graduates/yr
79%
Acceptance
$12,656
In-State Tuition
60%
Grad Rate
View →
2
PublicBachelor's
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign
1,380
Graduates/yr
44%
Acceptance
$14,768
In-State Tuition
85%
Grad Rate
View →
3
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago
1,224
Graduates/yr
81%
Acceptance
$50,270
Tuition
76%
Grad Rate
$29,189
Net Price <$30K
View →
4
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Northwestern University
Evanston
666
Graduates/yr
7%
Acceptance
$64,887
Tuition
96%
Grad Rate
$3,393
Net Price <$30K
View →
5
Private NonprofitBachelor's
University of Chicago
Chicago
522
Graduates/yr
5%
Acceptance
$63,801
Tuition
95%
Grad Rate
$958
Net Price <$30K
View →
6
PublicBachelor's
Illinois State University
Normal
396
Graduates/yr
89%
Acceptance
$11,000
In-State Tuition
66%
Grad Rate
View →
7
PublicBachelor's
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Edwardsville
333
Graduates/yr
97%
Acceptance
$8,846
In-State Tuition
53%
Grad Rate
View →
8
PublicBachelor's
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale
291
Graduates/yr
90%
Acceptance
$9,638
In-State Tuition
54%
Grad Rate
View →
9
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Augustana College
Rock Island
282
Graduates/yr
68%
Acceptance
$49,674
Tuition
79%
Grad Rate
$10,202
Net Price <$30K
View →
10
Private NonprofitBachelor's
DePaul University
Chicago
222
Graduates/yr
74%
Acceptance
$43,379
Tuition
70%
Grad Rate
$25,281
Net Price <$30K
View →
11
PublicBachelor's
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb
198
Graduates/yr
70%
Acceptance
$9,792
In-State Tuition
50%
Grad Rate
View →
12
PublicBachelor's
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago
186
Graduates/yr
70%
Acceptance
$10,343
In-State Tuition
17%
Grad Rate
View →
13
PublicBachelor's
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston
186
Graduates/yr
68%
Acceptance
$9,624
In-State Tuition
45%
Grad Rate
View →
14
Private NonprofitMaster's
Midwestern University-Downers Grove
Downers Grove
183
Graduates/yr
View →
15
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Wheaton College
Wheaton
171
Graduates/yr
90%
Acceptance
$43,670
Tuition
87%
Grad Rate
$17,110
Net Price <$30K
View →
16
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest
168
Graduates/yr
59%
Acceptance
$53,300
Tuition
70%
Grad Rate
$17,663
Net Price <$30K
View →
17
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Saint Xavier University
Chicago
165
Graduates/yr
86%
Acceptance
$35,680
Tuition
59%
Grad Rate
$9,778
Net Price <$30K
View →
18
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Lewis University
Romeoville
156
Graduates/yr
73%
Acceptance
$37,592
Tuition
62%
Grad Rate
$10,744
Net Price <$30K
View →
19
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst
144
Graduates/yr
76%
Acceptance
$41,258
Tuition
65%
Grad Rate
$17,050
Net Price <$30K
View →
20
Private NonprofitMaster's
Roosevelt University
Chicago
138
Graduates/yr
94%
Acceptance
$20,000
Tuition
46%
Grad Rate
$19,186
Net Price <$30K
View →
21
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Dominican University
River Forest
129
Graduates/yr
80%
Acceptance
$37,194
Tuition
62%
Grad Rate
$16,033
Net Price <$30K
View →
22
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Bradley University
Peoria
129
Graduates/yr
77%
Acceptance
$39,248
Tuition
72%
Grad Rate
$17,128
Net Price <$30K
View →
23
PublicBachelor's
Western Illinois University
Macomb
126
Graduates/yr
75%
Acceptance
$9,359
In-State Tuition
45%
Grad Rate
View →
24
Private NonprofitMaster's
Rush University
Chicago
126
Graduates/yr
$30,957
Tuition
View →
25
Private NonprofitBachelor's
North Park University
Chicago
105
Graduates/yr
73%
Acceptance
$34,685
Tuition
56%
Grad Rate
$17,420
Net Price <$30K
View →
26
Private NonprofitMaster's
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
North Chicago
105
Graduates/yr
View →
27
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais
105
Graduates/yr
67%
Acceptance
$36,950
Tuition
60%
Grad Rate
$16,024
Net Price <$30K
View →
28
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Illinois College
Jacksonville
102
Graduates/yr
75%
Acceptance
$36,870
Tuition
61%
Grad Rate
$12,642
Net Price <$30K
View →
29
Private NonprofitBachelor's
North Central College
Naperville
96
Graduates/yr
58%
Acceptance
$44,114
Tuition
71%
Grad Rate
$24,087
Net Price <$30K
View →
30
Private NonprofitMaster's
Benedictine University
Lisle
93
Graduates/yr
77%
Acceptance
$31,028
Tuition
51%
Grad Rate
$22,419
Net Price <$30K
View →
31
Private NonprofitBachelor's
University of St Francis
Joliet
90
Graduates/yr
64%
Acceptance
$37,000
Tuition
65%
Grad Rate
$14,515
Net Price <$30K
View →
32
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington
87
Graduates/yr
45%
Acceptance
$55,500
Tuition
83%
Grad Rate
$16,117
Net Price <$30K
View →
33
PublicBachelor's
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield
84
Graduates/yr
84%
Acceptance
$9,865
In-State Tuition
61%
Grad Rate
View →
34
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Knox College
Galesburg
81
Graduates/yr
71%
Acceptance
$54,768
Tuition
68%
Grad Rate
$19,700
Net Price <$30K
View →
35
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago
57
Graduates/yr
55%
Acceptance
$49,607
Tuition
72%
Grad Rate
$18,815
Net Price <$30K
View →
36
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Millikin University
Decatur
54
Graduates/yr
54%
Acceptance
$42,778
Tuition
59%
Grad Rate
$3,367
Net Price <$30K
View →
37
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Greenville University
Greenville
51
Graduates/yr
95%
Acceptance
$29,998
Tuition
51%
Grad Rate
$17,805
Net Price <$30K
View →
38
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Monmouth College
Monmouth
51
Graduates/yr
87%
Acceptance
$43,320
Tuition
57%
Grad Rate
$15,459
Net Price <$30K
View →
39
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Quincy University
Quincy
48
Graduates/yr
50%
Acceptance
$35,740
Tuition
43%
Grad Rate
$13,187
Net Price <$30K
View →
40
Private NonprofitBachelor's
National University of Health Sciences
Lombard
39
Graduates/yr
$22,122
Tuition
View →
41
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Concordia University-Chicago
River Forest
36
Graduates/yr
93%
Acceptance
$35,200
Tuition
46%
Grad Rate
$15,860
Net Price <$30K
View →
42
PublicBachelor's
Chicago State University
Chicago
36
Graduates/yr
41%
Acceptance
$8,040
In-State Tuition
17%
Grad Rate
View →
43
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Rockford University
Rockford
36
Graduates/yr
57%
Acceptance
$36,500
Tuition
38%
Grad Rate
$26,471
Net Price <$30K
View →
44
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Aurora University
Aurora
33
Graduates/yr
85%
Acceptance
$28,000
Tuition
58%
Grad Rate
$15,022
Net Price <$30K
View →
45
PublicBachelor's
Governors State University
University Park
33
Graduates/yr
$7,872
In-State Tuition
20%
Grad Rate
View →
46
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Eureka College
Eureka
21
Graduates/yr
88%
Acceptance
$27,450
Tuition
39%
Grad Rate
$14,640
Net Price <$30K
View →
47
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Blackburn College
Carlinville
21
Graduates/yr
80%
Acceptance
$26,758
Tuition
52%
Grad Rate
$22,022
Net Price <$30K
View →
48
Private NonprofitBachelor's
McKendree University
Lebanon
21
Graduates/yr
64%
Acceptance
$32,660
Tuition
60%
Grad Rate
$19,286
Net Price <$30K
View →
49
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights
21
Graduates/yr
89%
Acceptance
$19,800
Tuition
64%
Grad Rate
$10,997
Net Price <$30K
View →
50
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Principia College
Elsah
12
Graduates/yr
44%
Acceptance
$32,250
Tuition
76%
Grad Rate
View →
51
Private NonprofitBachelor's
Judson University
Elgin
6
Graduates/yr
63%
Acceptance
$29,850
Tuition
53%
Grad Rate
$16,882
Net Price <$30K
View →
52
Private NonprofitBachelor's
East-West University
Chicago
3
Graduates/yr
$24,750
Tuition
14%
Grad Rate
$18,325
Net Price <$30K
View →

Studying Biology in Illinois

Illinois has 52 accredited colleges offering biology programs, producing 10,965 graduates annually. Of these, 12 are public institutions with subsidized in-state tuition for Illinois residents.

When evaluating programs, consider accreditation, internship placement rates, and faculty expertise. Always file the FAFSA — the net price after grants can be dramatically lower than sticker tuition, especially at public institutions.

← All colleges in Illinois← All states

Data source: Graduate counts from IPEDS 2023–24 C2023_A Completions survey (NCES). Tuition, acceptance rate, and graduation rate from IPEDS HD2023, ADM2023, DRVGR2023.