2023 Best English Colleges for Veterans in Illinois
20
Ranked Colleges
1,251
Degrees Awarded
$29,100
Avg Cost*
With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 40,481 people earned their degree in English, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States.
Across Illinois, there were 1,251 English graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in English. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality English programs as well as strong veteran support.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the English program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language
The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois vets studying english language.
Top 20 Best English Colleges for Veterans in Illinois
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 130 ’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 52,679 students enrolled at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 10 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full UIUC Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 68 ’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
UChicago also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 17,834 students enrolled at UChicago, 241 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 113 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,948. To help with additional expenses, 58 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Chicago Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 137 ’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
Illinois State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 20,720 students enrolled at Illinois State University, 530 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 163 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,997. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Illinois State]](/colleges/illinois-state-university/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 51 diplomas to qualified ’s English language students in 2020-2021.
SIUE also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 12,860 students enrolled at SIUE, 3 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $23,082. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville]](/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 20 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Chicago is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 110 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UIC also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 33,518 students enrolled at University of Illinois at Chicago, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $23,878. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Illinois at Chicago offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Illinois at Chicago Veteran Student Life Report
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 20 ’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
SIUC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Southern Illinois University Carbondale supports 11,366 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
Loyola University Chicago came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language ranking. Loyola University Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 64 ’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
Loyola Chicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 261 of the 16,893 students enrolled at Loyola University Chicago were GI Bill® students, of which 165 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,263. To help with additional expenses, 78 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read More…
DePaul University ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s English language degrees to 70 students in 2020-2021.
DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 21,922 students enrolled at DePaul University, 528 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 367 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,957. On top of their other funding sources, 101 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full DePaul University Veteran Student Life Report
Aurora University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language ranking. Aurora University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Aurora, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Aurora also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 6,265 students enrolled at Aurora University, 3 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,999. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Aurora University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Aurora Veteran Student Life Report
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language ranking, coming in at #10. Western Illinois University is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at WIU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 330 of the 7,490 students enrolled at WIU were GI Bill® students, of which 62 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,652. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full WIU Veteran Student Life Report
Northern Illinois University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language ranking. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 58 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
NIU also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 16,769 students enrolled at Northern Illinois University, 480 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 207 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,822. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Read More…
Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 49 diplomas to qualified ’s English language students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our illinois vets studying english language list, Northeastern Illinois University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 147 of the 7,119 students enrolled at Northeastern Illinois University were GI Bill® students, of which 83 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,460. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Northeastern Illinois University Veteran Student Life Report
Northwestern University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language ranking. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 82 diplomas to qualified ’s English language students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 22,603 students enrolled at Northwestern, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $399. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Full Northwestern University Veteran Student Life Report
Eastern Illinois University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language ranking. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 46 ’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our illinois vets studying english language list, EIU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, EIU supports 8,626 students, and 184 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 46 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,730. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. EIU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Eastern Illinois University Veteran Student Life Report
Augustana College ranked #15 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language list. Augustana College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rock Island, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Augustana, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Augustana College supports 2,389 students, and 28 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 14 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,990. During this same period, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Augustana Veteran Student Life Report
University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language list. This small school is located in Springfield, Illinois, and it awarded 20 ’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIS, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Illinois at Springfield supports 4,146 students, and 214 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 106 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,253. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #17 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language list. Bloomington, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s English language degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.
Illinois Wesleyan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 1,636 students enrolled at Illinois Wesleyan University, 5 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,755. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Illinois Wesleyan University]](/colleges/illinois-wesleyan-university/student-life/veterans/)
Knox College ranked #18 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language list. Knox is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Galesburg, Illinois. It awarded 9 ’s English language degrees in 2020-2021.
Knox also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 1,154 students enrolled at Knox, 15 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,371. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Lake Forest College ranked #19 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language list. Located in Lake Forest, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified ’s English language students in 2020-2021.
Lake Forest not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Lake Forest supports 1,583 students, and 11 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 7 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $23,079. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read More…
Wheaton College Illinois ranked #20 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for English Language list. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s English language degrees to 32 students in 2020-2021.
Wheaton College Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 56 of the 2,908 students enrolled at Wheaton College Illinois were GI Bill® students, of which 45 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,675. On top of their other funding sources, 29 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Wheaton College Illinois]](/colleges/wheaton-college-illinois/student-life/veterans/)
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