2025 Best Political Science Schools in Illinois
22
Colleges in Illinois
1,528
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
Ranked #13 in popularity,
political 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 22 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for political science students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 1,528 degrees in political science to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
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Featured Political Science Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Political Science
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
Learn More
Choosing a Great Political Science School
The poly sci program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Political Science rankings. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for political 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.
Pick Your Political Science 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 Political Science Schools in Illinois list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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.
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Featured Political Science Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Political Science
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
Learn More
Best Schools for Political Science in Illinois
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the poly sci degree levels they offer.
10 Top Illinois Schools in Poly Sci
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
4th
Most Popular In IL
131
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
University of Chicago is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in political science. Located in the city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.
There were roughly 131 political science students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in political science from University of Chicago
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
3rd
Most Popular In IL
125
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
It is hard to beat Northwestern University if you wish to pursue a degree in political science. 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 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.
There were about 125 political science students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in political science from Northwestern University
Bachelors
Degree Type
BA in Political Science
Program Name
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BA in Political Science from Southern New Hampshire University
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
1st
Most Popular In IL
266
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a great decision for students pursuing a degree in political science. Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #41 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.
There were about 266 political science students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in political science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
2nd
Most Popular In IL
169
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
It's difficult to beat Loyola University Chicago if you want to pursue a degree in political science. Located in the large city of Chicago, Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #100 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Loyola Chicago is a great university overall.
There were about 169 political science students who graduated with this degree at Loyola Chicago in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in political science from Loyola University Chicago
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
7th
Most Popular In IL
74
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
NIU is a fairly large public university located in the small suburb of Dekalb. A Best Colleges rank of #529 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means NIU is a great university overall.
There were about 74 political science students who graduated with this degree at NIU in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in political science from Northern Illinois University
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
5th
Most Popular In IL
126
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
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 schools nationwide means DePaul is a great university overall.
There were about 126 political science students who graduated with this degree at DePaul in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in political science from DePaul University
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
16th
Most Popular In IL
Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Wheaton. A Best Colleges rank of #407 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Wheaton College Illinois is a great college overall.
There were approximately 9 political science students who graduated with this degree at Wheaton College Illinois in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in political science from Wheaton College Illinois
Master's Degree
Highest Degree Type
8th
Most Popular In IL
99
Poly Sci 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 schools nationwide means Illinois State is a great university overall.
There were about 99 political science students who graduated with this degree at Illinois State in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in political science from Illinois State University
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
6th
Most Popular In IL
105
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
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 roughly 105 political science students who graduated with this degree at UIC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in political science from University of Illinois at Chicago
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
17th
Most Popular In IL
34
Poly Sci Degrees Awarded
SIUC is a 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 about 34 political science students who graduated with this degree at SIUC in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in political science from Southern Illinois University Carbondale
