Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

52 Best Universities in Illinois for Physics

If you are looking to study Physics in Illinois, our index highlights the top 52 domain-leading institutions. To determine these leaders, we isolated 506.8K specialized research publications which collectively generated 22.15M citations. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

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1

Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

#19 in United States #20 in North America

42% Acceptance

37,140 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

2

Evanston

Northwestern University

#25 in United States #27 in North America

8% Acceptance

9,399 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

3

Chicago

University of Chicago

#15 in United States #16 in North America

4% Acceptance

7,598 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

4

Chicago

University of Illinois at Chicago

#63 in United States #69 in North America

77% Acceptance

22,495 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

5

Chicago

Illinois Institute of Technology

#163 in United States #187 in North America

55% Acceptance

3,135 Enrollment

1310 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

6

Carbondale

Southern Illinois University – Carbondale

#190 in United States #215 in North America

87% Acceptance

2,708 Enrollment

1030 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

7

DeKalb

Northern Illinois University

#164 in United States #188 in North America

70% Acceptance

16,744 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1895 Founded

8

Chicago

Loyola University Chicago

#137 in United States #158 in North America

82% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

9

Normal, IL

Illinois State University

#217 in United States #245 in North America

88% Acceptance

6,332 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1857 Founded

10

Chicago

DePaul University

#193 in United States #218 in North America

76% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1235 Avg SAT

1898 Founded

11

Jacksonville, IL

Illinois College

#500 in United States #550 in North America

78% Acceptance

2,256 Enrollment

1032 Avg SAT

1829 Founded

12

Chicago

Saint Xavier University

#946 in United States #1018 in North America

84% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1846 Founded

13

Edwardsville

Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville

#329 in United States #366 in North America

97% Acceptance

16,744 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

14

Chicago

Rush University

#1574 in United States #1660 in North America

33% Acceptance

2,109 Enrollment

1135 Avg SAT

1972 Founded

15

North Chicago

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

#429 in United States #476 in North America

33% Acceptance

1,677 Enrollment

1032 Avg SAT

1912 Founded

16

Peoria, IL

Bradley University

#375 in United States #419 in North America

77% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1897 Founded

17

Charleston, IL

Eastern Illinois University

#353 in United States #394 in North America

65% Acceptance

3,231 Enrollment

985 Avg SAT

1895 Founded

18

Chicago

Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago

#975 in United States #1047 in North America

10% Acceptance

6,353 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

19

Chicago

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

#480 in United States #529 in North America

77% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1508 Avg SAT

1866 Founded

20

Rockford

Saint Anthony College of Nursing

#922 in United States #994 in North America

76% Acceptance

10,813 Enrollment

1195 Avg SAT

$30,212 Net Price

21

Bloomington, IL

Illinois Wesleyan University

#496 in United States #545 in North America

39% Acceptance

1,582 Enrollment

1230 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

22

Macomb

Western Illinois University

#397 in United States #443 in North America

71% Acceptance

7,895 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

23

Springfield, IL

University of Illinois at Springfield

#549 in United States #604 in North America

86% Acceptance

6,332 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1969 Founded

24

Naperville

North Central College

#702 in United States #767 in North America

77% Acceptance

2,054 Enrollment

1183 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

25

Chicago

Roosevelt University

#505 in United States #556 in North America

97% Acceptance

4,397 Enrollment

1035 Avg SAT

1945 Founded

26

Chicago

Northeastern Illinois University

#553 in United States #608 in North America

75% Acceptance

4,397 Enrollment

990 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

27

Wheaton

Wheaton College – Illinois

#309 in United States #343 in North America

87% Acceptance

2,150 Enrollment

1365 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

28

Galesburg

#677 in United States #740 in North America

71% Acceptance

6,332 Enrollment

1310 Avg SAT

1837 Founded

29

Lake Forest

Lake Forest College

#666 in United States #727 in North America

57% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1292 Avg SAT

1857 Founded

30

Chicago

Chicago State University

#637 in United States #696 in North America

43% Acceptance

15,414 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

31

Chicago

Illinois College of Optometry

#1362 in United States #1442 in North America

70% Acceptance

530 Enrollment

1080 Avg SAT

1872 Founded

32

Lisle

Benedictine University

#850 in United States #919 in North America

95% Acceptance

2,238 Enrollment

1080 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

33

Rock Island

Augustana College

#665 in United States #726 in North America

63% Acceptance

2,522 Enrollment

1150 Avg SAT

1860 Founded

34

Chicago

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

#1398 in United States #1482 in North America

71% Acceptance

210 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

35

Carlinville

Blackburn College

#1345 in United States #1425 in North America

63% Acceptance

5,086 Enrollment

1001 Avg SAT

1837 Founded

36

Romeoville

Lewis University

#826 in United States #894 in North America

71% Acceptance

16,744 Enrollment

1085 Avg SAT

1932 Founded

37

Greenville, IL

Greenville University

#1025 in United States #1098 in North America

97% Acceptance

5,086 Enrollment

1001 Avg SAT

1892 Founded

38

River Forest

Dominican University

#793 in United States #861 in North America

90% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

990 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

39

Chicago

Columbia College Chicago

#711 in United States #777 in North America

89% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1228 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

40

Elmhurst

Elmhurst College

#693 in United States #757 in North America

74% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1871 Founded

41

Monmouth, IL

Monmouth College

#1154 in United States #1229 in North America

91% Acceptance

713 Enrollment

1105 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

42

Chicago

DeVry University – Illinois

#817 in United States #885 in North America

98% Acceptance

6,045 Enrollment

865 Avg SAT

1931 Founded

43

Rockford

Rockford University

#1240 in United States #1318 in North America

93% Acceptance

983 Enrollment

960 Avg SAT

1847 Founded

44

Decatur, IL

Millikin University

#944 in United States #1016 in North America

67% Acceptance

6,332 Enrollment

995 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

45

Chicago

Saint Augustine College

#1246 in United States #1324 in North America

100% Acceptance

810 Enrollment

995 Avg SAT

1980 Founded

46

Chicago

North Park University

#989 in United States #1061 in North America

69% Acceptance

200 Enrollment

1025 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

47

Elsah

Principia College

#1428 in United States #1513 in North America

100% Acceptance

3,272 Enrollment

1505 Avg SAT

1912 Founded

48

Aurora, IL

Aurora University

#1005 in United States #1078 in North America

81% Acceptance

4,397 Enrollment

1025 Avg SAT

1893 Founded

49

Bourbonnais

Olivet Nazarene University

#1004 in United States #1077 in North America

56% Acceptance

5,734 Enrollment

1085 Avg SAT

1907 Founded

50

Chicago

Kendall College

#1549 in United States #1635 in North America

90% Acceptance

442 Enrollment

1040 Avg SAT

1934 Founded

51

Chicago

Bexley Hall Seabury Western Theological Seminary Federation, Inc.

#1717 in United States #1805 in North America

74% Acceptance

995 Avg SAT

52

Eureka, IL

#1466 in United States #1552 in North America

85% Acceptance

527 Enrollment

995 Avg SAT

1855 Founded