Illinois and Midwestern Universities Shine in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Colleges Rankings
In the 2025 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s annual “Best Colleges” rankings, numerous institutions from Illinois and the Midwest have made a notable impression, with many advancing in their standings this year.
This year’s rankings included a comprehensive evaluation of nearly 1,500 colleges and universities, employing 17 specific metrics that encompass graduation rates, financial resources, borrower debt, peer assessment, and faculty salaries, among others. The methodology this year closely mirrors that of 2024’s revamped formula.
Top Rankings for Illinois Institutions
Taking a significant leap, Northwestern University in Evanston has claimed the No. 6 spot, sharing this ranking with prestigious institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, and the California Institute of Technology. Last year, Northwestern secured the 9th position.
Furthermore, the University of Chicago ascended to the No. 11 position, moving up from No. 12, in a tie with Cornell University. The University of Notre Dame, located in South Bend, Indiana, settled for a tie at No. 18 with Vanderbilt University and Rice University.
Additionally, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Washington University in St. Louis jointly hold the No. 21 ranking, further showcasing the strengths of Midwestern education.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign climbed two spaces to secure the No. 33 spot, while the University of Wisconsin-Madison experienced a decline, now ranked at No. 39.
Highlights from the Rankings
Along with the national universities, the report also spotlighted the Top Liberal Arts Colleges. Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, showcased its academic excellence by ranking No. 8.
In a testament to social equity, U.S. News also recognized the “Top Performers on Social Mobility” among national universities and liberal arts colleges, measuring effectiveness in graduating economically disadvantaged students. Notably, Lake Forest College from Lake Forest, Illinois, shared the top rank with Spelman College from Atlanta, Georgia.
Complete List of Top 25 Colleges for 2025
No. 1: Princeton University – Princeton, New Jersey
No. 2: Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Cambridge, Massachusetts
No. 3: Harvard University – Cambridge, Massachusetts
No. 4: Stanford University – Stanford, California
No. 5: Yale University – New Haven, Connecticut
No. 6: Four-way tie: Northwestern University – Evanston, Illinois; Johns Hopkins University – Baltimore, Maryland; Duke University – Durham, North Carolina; California Institute of Technology – Pasadena, California
No. 10: University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 11: Two-way tie: University of Chicago – Chicago, Illinois; Cornell University – Ithaca, New York
No. 13: Two-way tie: Columbia University – New York, New York; Brown University – Providence, Rhode Island
No. 15: Two-way tie: UCLA – Los Angeles, California; Dartmouth College – Hanover, New Hampshire
No. 17: University of California, Berkeley – Berkeley, California
No. 18: Three-way tie: Rice University – Houston, Texas; University of Notre Dame – South Bend, Indiana; Vanderbilt University – Nashville, Tennessee
No. 21: Three-way tie: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – Ann Arbor, Michigan; Washington University in St. Louis – St. Louis, Missouri; Carnegie Mellon University – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
No. 24: Three-way tie: Emory University – Atlanta, Georgia; University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia; Georgetown University – Washington, D.C.
The ranking concluded without a 25th position due to the tie, with the next individual ranking being the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, at No. 27.
For comprehensive insights and the full list, you can access the complete rankings through the U.S. News & World Report.
