2025 Best General Studies Schools in Illinois
36
Colleges in Illinois
2,955
General Studies Degrees Awarded
General Studies is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #5 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.
For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 36 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for general studies students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 2,955 degrees in general studies to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great General Studies School
The general studies program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for General Studies rankings. For our Best Overall General Studies School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Pick Your General Studies Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best General Studies Schools in Illinois list, to help you choose the best school for you.
If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat.
Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.
Best Schools for General Studies in Illinois
The schools below may not offer all types of general studies degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer.
10 Top Illinois Schools in General Studies
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
12th
Most Popular In IL
67
General Studies Degrees Awarded
It's hard to beat DePaul University if you want to pursue a degree in general studies. Located in the large city of Chicago, DePaul is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #135 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means DePaul is a great university overall.
There were roughly 67 general studies students who graduated with this degree at DePaul in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in general studies from DePaul University
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
20th
Most Popular In IL
61
General Studies Degrees Awarded
Lincoln Land Community College is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in general studies. Located in the rural area of Springfield, LLCC is a public college with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #437 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means LLCC is a great college overall.
There were about 61 general studies students who graduated with this degree at LLCC in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in general studies from Lincoln Land Community College
Associates
Degree Type
AA in Liberal Arts
Program Name
Strengthen your communication and critical-thinking skills with this online associate in liberal arts degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in AA in Liberal Arts from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
16th
Most Popular In IL
56
General Studies Degrees Awarded
Waubonsee Community College is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in general studies. Located in the rural area of Sugar Grove, Waubonsee is a public college with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #590 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Waubonsee is a great college overall.
There were roughly 56 general studies students who graduated with this degree at Waubonsee in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in general studies from Waubonsee Community College
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
11th
Most Popular In IL
131
General Studies Degrees Awarded
William Rainey Harper College is a great decision for students pursuing a degree in general studies. Harper College is a fairly large public college located in the suburb of Palatine. A Best Colleges rank of #640 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Harper College is a great college overall.
There were about 131 general studies students who graduated with this degree at Harper College in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in general studies from William Rainey Harper College
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
10th
Most Popular In IL
67
General Studies Degrees Awarded
Located in the midsize suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public university with a very 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 67 general studies students who graduated with this degree at Illinois State in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in general studies from Illinois State University
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
27th
Most Popular In IL
106
General Studies Degrees Awarded
College of Lake County is a fairly large public college located in the suburb of Grayslake. A Best Colleges rank of #504 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means College of Lake County is a great college overall.
There were approximately 106 general studies students who graduated with this degree at College of Lake County in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in general studies from College of Lake County
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
19th
Most Popular In IL
39
General Studies Degrees Awarded
SSC is a small public college located in the suburb of South Holland. A Best Colleges rank of #718 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means SSC is a great college overall.
There were roughly 39 general studies students who graduated with this degree at SSC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in general studies from South Suburban College
Bachelors
Degree Type
BA in General Studies
Program Name
Maximize your transfer credits and complete your bachelor's degree faster with this flexible online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BA in General Studies from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
9th
Most Popular In IL
119
General Studies Degrees Awarded
COD is a very large public college located in the suburb of Glen Ellyn. A Best Colleges rank of #731 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means COD is a great college overall.
There were approximately 119 general studies students who graduated with this degree at COD in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in general studies from College of DuPage
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
8th
Most Popular In IL
100
General Studies Degrees Awarded
Located in the suburb of East Peoria, ICC is a public college with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #871 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means ICC is a great college overall.
There were approximately 100 general studies students who graduated with this degree at ICC in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in general studies from Illinois Central College
Associate Degree
Highest Degree Type
5th
Most Popular In IL
136
General Studies Degrees Awarded
Located in the large city of Chicago, Harold Washington College is a public college with a medium-sized student population. This college ranks 46th out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.
There were approximately 136 general studies students who graduated with this degree at Harold Washington College in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in general studies from City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College
