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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies in Illinois

27 Ranked Colleges
$30,100 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois” ranking.

In 2021-2022, 15,615 people earned their degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, making the major the 30th most popular in the United States. In , area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $31,881 and had an average of $21,702 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 385 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,363 and $29,383 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 27 colleges that offer a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students.

Top 27 Most Focused Colleges for Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies in Illinois

1
Lake Forest crest
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lake Forest College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. Lake Forest College is a small school located in Lake Forest, Illinois that handed out 9 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read full report on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Lake Forest College

2
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Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Out of the 27 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Knox College landed the #2 spot on the list. Knox is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Galesburg, Illinois. It awarded 11 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Knox

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northeastern Illinois University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Northeastern Illinois University

4
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 27 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 67 degrees to qualified ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at University of Chicago

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Chicago. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 82 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UIC Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

6
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. Dominican University is a small school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 1 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Dominican U

7
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. DePaul University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 27 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full DePaul University Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

8
Augustana crest
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

With a ranking of #8, Augustana College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. Augustana College is located in Rock Island, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 3 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Augustana Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

9
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 37 degrees to qualified ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Northwestern

10
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. Aurora University is located in Aurora, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 2 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Aurora

11
CSU crest
Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago State University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Chicago State University Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

12

With a ranking of #12, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 56 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

13
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #13. Loyola University Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 18 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Loyola Chicago

14
Bradley crest
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, Bradley University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. Bradley University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 6 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Bradley Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

15
Columbia crest
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Columbia College Chicago ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 5 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Columbia Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

16
Roosevelt crest
Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. Roosevelt University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 full report on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Roosevelt

17
North Park crest
North Park University
Chicago, Illinois

North Park University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #17. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees to 0 students in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at North Park

18
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois

North Central College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. North Central is a small school located in Naperville, Illinois that handed out 2 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at North Central

19
NLU crest
National Louis University
Chicago, Illinois

National Louis University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. NLU is a medium-sized school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 1 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full NLU Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

20

With a ranking of #20, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 7 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

21
Illinois Wesleyan crest
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. Illinois Wesleyan is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bloomington, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 0 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois Wesleyan University Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

21
Concordia University, Chicago crest
Concordia University, Chicago
River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. This medium-sized school is located in River Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 0 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Concordia University, Chicago Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

21
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

Principia College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking. Principia is a small school located in Elsah, Illinois that handed out 1 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

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.

Read more about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Principia

21

With a ranking of #21, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 19 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

21
Illinois College crest
Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois list. Illinois College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jacksonville, Illinois. It awarded 1 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 about Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Illinois College

21
Elmhurst crest
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #21. Elmhurst University is located in Elmhurst, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 0 ’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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 full report on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies at Elmhurst

21
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Governors State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #21. Governors State University is a public institution located in University Park, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 0 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Governors State University Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Report

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References

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