2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois
It's not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking - to help you make that decision.
Our analysis looked at 77 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for veterans and active service men and women. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, number of GI Bill® recipients at the school, and overall quality - to make this determination.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
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Top Colleges for Veterans in Illinois
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tops this year’s ranking as the best school for veterans in Illinois. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 14,582 students in 2019-2020.
Of the 52,679 students enrolled at UIUC, 500 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 247 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,702. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. UIUC also made our Best Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #3.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Illinois at Chicago helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for veterans in Illinois. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7,995 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
Of the 33,518 students enrolled at UIC, 489 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 272 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,722. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, UIC also did well on our Best Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #3 in Illinois on this year’s best for vets ranking. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5,799 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 20,720 students enrolled at Illinois State, 560 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 218 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,872. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Illinois State also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Lewis University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for veterans in Illinois. Romeoville, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,791 students in 2019-2020.
Of the 6,437 students enrolled at Lewis, 277 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 239 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,834. To help with additional expenses, 51 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Lewis does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Lewis also did well on our Best Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Out of the 77 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Macomb, Illinois, the medium-sized public school handed out 2,287 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, WIU supports 7,490 students, and 389 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 117 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,241. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
DePaul University landed the #6 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. DePaul University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 6,096 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 21,922 students enrolled at DePaul, 553 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 423 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,543. To help with additional expenses, 165 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. DePaul does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, DePaul is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in Illinois list.
National Louis University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 1,830 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 96 of the 7,402 students enrolled at NLU were GI Bill® students, of which 66 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,500. In addition to receiving other benefits, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #8 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,155 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, UIS supports 4,146 students, and 241 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 140 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,675. UIS does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Eastern Illinois University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois list. EIU is a public institution located in Charleston, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,777 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 187 of the 8,626 students enrolled at EIU were GI Bill® students, of which 68 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,273. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Loyola University Chicago landed the #10 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. Loyola Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5,174 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, Loyola Chicago supports 16,893 students, and 248 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 186 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,572. In addition to receiving other benefits, 90 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Loyola Chicago also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Elmhurst University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois list. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 1,048 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Elmhurst supports 3,421 students, and 78 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 67 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,007. During this same period, 11 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Elmhurst does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of St Francis ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois list. Located in Joliet, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 963 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 51 of the 3,529 students enrolled at University of Saint Francis were GI Bill® students, of which 34 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,310. To help with additional expenses, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, University of Saint Francis also is in the top 15% of our Best Schools in Illinois ranking.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. SIUC is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,803 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 594 of the 11,366 students enrolled at SIUC were GI Bill® students, of which 304 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,645. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Illinois Institute of Technology came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 2,108 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 64 of the 6,325 students enrolled at Illinois Tech 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 $14,909. On top of their other funding sources, 10 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Illinois Tech does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Illinois Tech also is in the top 15% of our Best Schools in Illinois ranking.
Governors State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking, coming in at #15. Governors State University is a small public school located in University Park, Illinois that handed out 1,290 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, GSU supports 4,650 students, and 151 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 85 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,764. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Benedictine University landed the #16 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. Benedictine U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lisle, Illinois. It awarded 1,688 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 110 of the 3,779 students enrolled at Benedictine U were GI Bill® students, of which 92 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,469. To help with additional expenses, 14 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Benedictine U does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Northern Illinois University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 4,630 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, NIU supports 16,769 students, and 477 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 240 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,047.
With a ranking of #18, North Central College did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois list. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Naperville, Illinois, and it awarded 912 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 45 of the 2,832 students enrolled at North Central were GI Bill® students, of which 37 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,841. During this same period, 15 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, North Central is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in Illinois list.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking, coming in at #19. This fairly large public school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 3,447 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 12,860 students enrolled at SIUE, 664 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 307 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,287. SIUE does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Roosevelt University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking, coming in at #20. Roosevelt is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 1,871 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Roosevelt supports 4,680 students, and 75 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 53 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,579. On top of their other funding sources, 12 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Dominican University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. Located in River Forest, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 867 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 3,189 students enrolled at Dominican U, 31 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 17 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,384. During this same period, 3 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
University of Chicago did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 6,000 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 181 of the 17,834 students enrolled at UChicago were GI Bill® students, of which 107 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,167. To help with additional expenses, 54 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. UChicago also made our Best Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #1.
With a ranking of #23, Bradley University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois list. Bradley is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 1,504 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 5,855 students enrolled at Bradley, 95 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 69 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,425. During this same period, 9 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Bradley also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
Northeastern Illinois University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking. Northeastern Illinois University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,946 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, Northeastern Illinois University supports 7,119 students, and 172 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 111 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,214. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Augustana College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Illinois ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Rock Island, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 894 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 2,389 students enrolled at Augustana, 27 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 19 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $16,545. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Augustana also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
- Removed schools reflect instances of new data identified post-publication that warrant removal of a school from this year’s ranking.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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