2025 Best Computer Science Schools in Illinois
21
Colleges in Illinois
3,498
CompSci Degrees Awarded
$76,986
Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #12 in popularity,
computer science is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.
For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 21 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for computer science students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 3,498 degrees in computer science annually.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Computer Science School
The compsci program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Computer Science rankings. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for computer science schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Computer Science Rankings by Degree Level
When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Computer Science Schools in Illinois list to help you make the college decision.
You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.
In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you.
When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.
Best Schools for Computer Science in Illinois
If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the compsci degrees they offer, see the list below.
10 Top Illinois Schools in CompSci
It is difficult to beat University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign if you wish to pursue a degree in computer science. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #41 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.
There were roughly 988 computer science students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the computer science program at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign make $52,062 above the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a degree in computer science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Any student pursuing a degree in computer science needs to check out Northwestern University. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.
There were about 207 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year. Those computer science students who get their degree from Northwestern University receive $22,995 more than the typical compsci graduate.
More information about a degree in computer science from Northwestern University
Associates
Degree Type
AS in Computer Science
Program Name
Learn the applied programming skills needed to fill in-demand tech roles when you earn your online AS in Computer Science at Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in AS in Computer Science from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
University of Illinois at Chicago is a great option for students interested in a degree in computer science. UIC is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #254 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UIC is a great university overall.
There were approximately 417 computer science students who graduated with this degree at UIC in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the compsci program earn about $78,040 for their early career.
More information about a degree in computer science from University of Illinois at Chicago
Every student pursuing a degree in computer science has to take a look at Illinois Institute of Technology. Located in the city of Chicago, Illinois Tech is a private not-for-profit school with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #610 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Illinois Tech is a great school overall.
There were about 241 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Illinois Tech in the most recent data year. Those computer science students who get their degree from Illinois Institute of Technology earn $11,060 more than the average compsci grad.
More information about a degree in computer science from Illinois Institute of Technology
Located in the medium-sized suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #210 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Illinois State is a great university overall.
There were roughly 58 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Illinois State in the most recent year we have data available. Those computer science students who get their degree from Illinois State University earn $4,377 more than the typical compsci graduate.
More information about a degree in computer science from Illinois State University
Located in the midsize city of Peoria, Bradley is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #519 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Bradley is a great university overall.
There were about 70 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Bradley in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the compsci program make an average of $66,457 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in computer science from Bradley University
Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, SIUE is a public university with a large student population. This university ranks 31st out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were roughly 100 computer science students who graduated with this degree at SIUE in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the compsci program earn an average of $76,106 for their early career.
More information about a degree in computer science from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Bachelors
Degree Type
BS in Computer Science
Program Name
Learn the front-end design and back-end development skills employers look for in full stack software developers with this online bachelor's degree in computer science from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BS in Computer Science from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Knox is a small private not-for-profit college located in the distant town of Galesburg. This college ranks 53rd out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were roughly 19 computer science students who graduated with this degree at Knox in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in computer science from Knox College
NIU is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Dekalb. A Best Colleges rank of #529 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means NIU is a great university overall.
There were approximately 169 computer science students who graduated with this degree at NIU in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the compsci program make about $77,257 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a degree in computer science from Northern Illinois University
SIUC is a fairly large public university located in the town of Carbondale. This university ranks 36th out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were approximately 43 computer science students who graduated with this degree at SIUC in the most recent data year. After graduation, compsci degree recipients usually make an average of $70,053 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in computer science from Southern Illinois University Carbondale
