Best Colleges for Business Administration in Illinois
The best colleges for a Business Administration degree in Illinois, led by Northwestern University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Illinois Wesleyan University. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Business Administration programs side by side.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best college for Business Administration in Illinois?
Based on our rankings, Northwestern University is the top-ranked college for Business Administration in Illinois. Other top choices include University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Wesleyan University, Loyola University Chicago.
What are the best Business Administration schools?
The best Business Administration schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are Northwestern University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Wesleyan University. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.
How much does it cost to study Business Administration?
The average out-of-state tuition among top Business Administration programs is approximately $39,583 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.
How long does it take to get a Business Administration degree?
A bachelor's degree in Business Administration typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.
How are these Business Administration rankings determined?
Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.
Career outcomes for Business Administration graduates
Among the top 10 ranked Business Administration programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $68,732 per year. Below are the highest-paying Business Administration programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.
- Northwestern University — Evanston, IL · $89,363/yr (rank #1)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — Champaign, IL · $81,054/yr (rank #2)
- Loyola University Chicago — Chicago, IL · $71,530/yr (rank #3)
- Illinois Wesleyan University — Bloomington, IL · $70,871/yr (rank #4)
- DePaul University — Chicago, IL · $68,751/yr (rank #5)
- 1. Northwestern University — Evanston, IL · 7.7% acceptance · SAT 1,533 · $68,322 tuition · 95% grad rate
- 2. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — Champaign, IL · 42.4% acceptance · SAT 1,440 · $35,124 tuition · 85% grad rate
- 3. Illinois Wesleyan University — Bloomington, IL · 39.3% acceptance · SAT 1,275 · $57,704 tuition · 75% grad rate
- 4. Loyola University Chicago — Chicago, IL · 81.6% acceptance · SAT 1,297 · $53,710 tuition · 73% grad rate
- 5. DePaul University — Chicago, IL · 75.9% acceptance · SAT 1,262 · $45,999 tuition · 68% grad rate
- 6. University of St Francis — Joliet, IL · 65.3% acceptance · SAT 1,141 · $38,110 tuition · 67% grad rate
- 7. Western Illinois University — Macomb, IL · 71.2% acceptance · $15,264 tuition · 45% grad rate
- 8. Wheaton College — Wheaton, IL · 87.4% acceptance · SAT 1,380 · $45,546 tuition · 85% grad rate
- 9. Northern Illinois University — Dekalb, IL · 69.8% acceptance · $13,248 tuition · 49% grad rate
- 10. Lewis University — Romeoville, IL · 71.3% acceptance · SAT 1,096 · $39,200 tuition · 67% grad rate
- 11. North Central College — Naperville, IL · 77.3% acceptance · SAT 1,213 · $45,726 tuition · 64% grad rate
- 12. Augustana College — Rock Island, IL · 62.7% acceptance · SAT 1,165 · $51,598 tuition · 73% grad rate
- 13. Millikin University — Decatur, IL · 66.7% acceptance · SAT 1,034 · $26,892 tuition · 55% grad rate
- 14. McKendree University — Lebanon, IL · 71.7% acceptance · $34,740 tuition · 53% grad rate
- 15. North Park University — Chicago, IL · 68.5% acceptance · $36,710 tuition · 58% grad rate
- 16. Northeastern Illinois University — Chicago, IL · 74.6% acceptance · $22,726 tuition · 22% grad rate
- 17. Olivet Nazarene University — Bourbonnais, IL · 55.9% acceptance · SAT 1,117 · $38,900 tuition · 61% grad rate
- 18. Quincy University — Quincy, IL · 50.9% acceptance · SAT 1,098 · $37,140 tuition · 45% grad rate
- 19. Monmouth College — Monmouth, IL · 90.9% acceptance · SAT 1,128 · $44,922 tuition · 65% grad rate
- 20. Lake Forest College — Lake Forest, IL · 56.8% acceptance · SAT 1,343 · $56,402 tuition · 78% grad rate
- 21. Illinois Institute of Technology — Chicago, IL · 54.9% acceptance · SAT 1,311 · $52,386 tuition · 75% grad rate
- 22. Illinois College — Jacksonville, IL · 78.2% acceptance · SAT 1,064 · $38,676 tuition · 64% grad rate
- 23. Eastern Illinois University — Charleston, IL · 65.4% acceptance · SAT 1,000 · $16,217 tuition · 47% grad rate
- 24. Elmhurst University — Elmhurst, IL · 73.6% acceptance · SAT 1,151 · $42,955 tuition · 70% grad rate
- 25. Judson University — Elgin, IL · 47.6% acceptance · SAT 1,039 · $31,360 tuition · 60% grad rate
Best Colleges for Business Administration in Illinois on PickACampus