Best colleges in Illinois | MyStateline.com

(Stacker) — Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions a person will make for their education, impacting everything from future earnings and employment to potential student loan debt and social circles.

While every student wants to get the best education they possibly can, there are myriad considerations to take into account: location, size, diversity, areas of focus, study abroad opportunities—the list goes on. While best college lists are often topped with the same handful of expensive Ivy League schools, the U.S. is home to more than 4,000 degree-granting schools spread out across all 50 states and several territories, with amazing education offerings for students to consider.

Stacker compiled a list of the best four-year colleges in Illinois using rankings from Niche. Tuition, student-to-faculty ratio, acceptance rate, and graduation rate are factors considered in deciding these rankings. Location is also often a key factor in a school’s appeal, whether it be a beachside location, one full of New England foliage, or proximity to tech hubs and companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google. Online and unspecified location schools were excluded from the rankings. Keep reading to see the best schools in your state.

• Acceptance rate: 66%
• Net price: $20,022
• Enrollment: 3,484 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Value grade: A-
• Diversity grade: A-
• Safety grade: B+

• Acceptance rate: 56%
• Net price: $13,551
• Enrollment: 3,966 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Diversity grade: A
• Party grade: A-
• Athletics grade: B+

• Acceptance rate: 73%
• Net price: $25,850
• Enrollment: 4,450 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Value grade: A-
• Diversity grade: A-
• Party grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 70%
• Net price: $20,869
• Enrollment: 1,430 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Diversity grade: A
• Value grade: B+
• Athletics grade: B+

• Acceptance rate: 71%
• Net price: $23,266
• Enrollment: 1,119 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Diversity grade: A+
• Academics grade: B+
• Professors grade: B+

• Acceptance rate: 77%
• Net price: $11,628
• Enrollment: 1,840 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Diversity grade: A
• Value grade: A-
• Campus food grade: B+

• Acceptance rate: 85%
• Net price: $14,506
• Enrollment: 8,071 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Diversity grade: A-
• Campus grade: A-
• Athletics grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 53%
• Net price: $26,053
• Enrollment: 2,414 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Diversity grade: A-
• Location grade: A-
• Campus grade: B+

• Acceptance rate: 81%
• Net price: $20,933
• Enrollment: 16,666 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Party grade: A
• Student life grade: A
• Athletics grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 66%
• Net price: $21,776
• Enrollment: 2,687 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Diversity grade: A-
• Location grade: A-
• Safety grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 60%
• Net price: $16,761
• Enrollment: 1,365 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B
• Value grade: A
• Safety grade: A
• Diversity grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 64%
• Net price: $23,177
• Enrollment: 846 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B+
• Safety grade: A
• Value grade: A-
• Diversity grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 44%
• Net price: $19,320
• Enrollment: 1,682 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B+
• Diversity grade: A
• Safety grade: A
• Location grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 61%
• Net price: $28,161
• Enrollment: 2,816 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B+
• Diversity grade: A+
• Value grade: A
• Professors grade: A

• Acceptance rate: 57%
• Net price: $24,233
• Enrollment: 2,358 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B+
• Party grade: A
• Campus food grade: A
• Academics grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 71%
• Net price: $37,731
• Enrollment: 10,924 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: B+
• Diversity grade: A
• Academics grade: A-
• Campus grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 58%
• Net price: $26,968
• Enrollment: 1,526 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A-
• Diversity grade: A+
• Academics grade: A-
• Professors grade: A-

• Acceptance rate: 98%
• Net price: $18,790
• Enrollment: 1,736 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A-
• Location grade: A+
• Value grade: A
• Diversity grade: A

• Acceptance rate: 73%
• Net price: $12,614
• Enrollment: 20,023 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A-
• Diversity grade: A+
• Value grade: A
• Professors grade: A

• Acceptance rate: 57%
• Net price: $32,545
• Enrollment: 1,622 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A-
• Academics grade: A-
• Value grade: A-
• Diversity grade: B+

• Acceptance rate: 70%
• Net price: $33,319
• Enrollment: 12,776 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A-
• Location grade: A+
• Diversity grade: A
• Party grade: A

• Acceptance rate: 87%
• Net price: $27,474
• Enrollment: 2,195 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A
• Academics grade: A
• Dorms grade: A
• Campus food grade: A

• Acceptance rate: 63%
• Net price: $13,517
• Enrollment: 32,107 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A+
• Academics grade: A+
• Value grade: A+
• Diversity grade: A+

• Acceptance rate: 7%
• Net price: $36,584
• Enrollment: 7,020 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A+
• Academics grade: A+
• Value grade: A+
• Diversity grade: A+

• Acceptance rate: 9%
• Net price: $28,344
• Enrollment: 8,095 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
• Overall Niche grade: A+
• Academics grade: A+
• Value grade: A+
• Diversity grade: A+