Colleges and Universities in Chicago

Learn About the Colleges and Universities in and Around Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago
University of Chicago. josh.ev9 / flickr
By
Allen Grove
Allen Grove
College Admissions Expert
  • Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT
Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
Learn about our Editorial Process
Updated on July 09, 2019

As the third largest city in the United States, Chicago has a lot to offer college students. Options for higher education are extensive and range from large public universities to small private colleges. The list below presents the majority of four-year non-profit colleges within a fifteen-mile radius of downtown. I have left off a few extremely small and/or specialized institutions.

Chicago has a sizable downtown area. For the purposes of this article, I've measured distances from City Hall in the middle of the Chicago Loop.

01
of 19

Chicago State University

Chicago State University
Chicago State University. Zol87 / Flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 13 miles
  • School Type: public university
  • Enrollment: 4,767 (3,462 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: founded in 1867; popular undergraduate majors in business, criminal justice, and psychology; member of the NCAA Division I Western Athletic Conference
  • Learn More: Chicago State University Profile 
02
of 19

Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago. afunkydamsel / Flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 1 mile
  • School Type: private arts and media college
  • Enrollment: 8,961 (8,608 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: popular film and video programs; 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio; campus spread out in the city's South Loop
  • Learn More: Columbia College Chicago Profile 
03
of 19

Concordia University Chicago

River Forest, Illinois
River Forest, Illinois. David Wilson / Flickr
  • Location: River Forest, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 10 miles
  • School Type: private liberal-arts university affiliated with the Lutheran church
  • Enrollment: 5,229 (1,510 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: extensive masters degree programs; average undergraduate class size of 17; competes in the NCAA Division III Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference with 14 sports
  • Learn More: Concordia University Chicago Profile
04
of 19

DePaul University

DePaul University
DePaul University. puroticorico / Flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 4 miles to the main Lincoln Park Campus; < 1 mile to the Loop Campus
  • School Type: private Catholic university
  • Enrollment: 23,539 (15,961 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: largest Catholic university in the U.S.; strong service learning programs and an emphasis on hands-on learning; member of the NCAA Division I Big East Conference.
  • Learn More: DePaul University Profile 
  • GPA, SAT and ACT Graph for DePaul Admissions
05
of 19

Dominican University

Dominican University
Dominican University. Dominican University / Flickr
  • Location: River Forest, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 12 miles
  • School Type: comprehensive private Roman Catholic university
  • Enrollment: 3,696 (2,272 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features:11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; over 50 areas of study; 30-acre campus in a residential area; NCAA Division III athletic programs
  • Learn More: Dominican University Profile 
06
of 19

East-West University

East-West University
East-West University. Beyond My Ken / Wikimedia Commons
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 1 mile
  • School Type: small, private college with a focus on both liberal arts and sciences and professional fields
  • Enrollment: 539 (all undergraduate)
  • Distinguishing Features: low tuition for a private university; diverse student body and faculty; high percentage of international students
  • Learn More: East-West University Website
07
of 19

Illinois Institute of Technology

Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology. John Picken / Flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 3 miles
  • School Type: comprehensive research university with a science and engineering focus
  • Enrollment: 7,792 (2,989 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: 120-acre campus located adjacent to U.S. Cellular Field, home of the White Sox; rich history dating to 1890; popular architecture program
  • Learn More: Illinois Institute of Technology Profile 
  • GPA, SAT and ACT Graph for IIT Admissions
08
of 19

Loyola University Chicago

Dumbach Hall at Loyola University Chicago
Dumbach Hall at Loyola University Chicago. Photo Credit: Marisa Benjamin
09
of 19

Moody Bible Institute

Moody Bible Institute
Moody Bible Institute. Son of thunder / Wikimedia Commons
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 1 mile
  • School Type: private evangelical Christian college
  • Enrollment: 3,922 (3,148 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: religiously focused academics; located adjacent to the city's business district; branch campuses in Spokane, Washington, and Plymouth, Michigan; low tuition
  • Learn More: Moody Bible Institute Profile 
10
of 19

National Louis University

National Louis University
National Louis University. TonyTheTiger / Wikimedia Commons
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: < 1 mile
  • School Type: private university with a focus on professional fields
  • Enrollment: 4,384 (1,306 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: enviable location in the Chicago Loop; numerous part-time and online options for continuing education students; free admission to the Art Institute of Chicago
  • Learn More: National Louis University Profile
11
of 19

North Park University

North Park University
North Park University. auntjojo / Flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 8 miles
  • School Type: private evangelical Christian university
  • Enrollment: 3,159 (2,151 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: distinctly Christian identity; affiliation with the Evangelical Covenant Church; 11 to 1 student / faculty ratio; multicultural emphasis; NCAA Division III athletic programs
  • Learn More: North Park University Profile 
12
of 19

Northeastern Illinois University

Ronald Williams Library at Northeastern Illinois University
Ronald Williams Library at Northeastern Illinois University. James~Quinn / Flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 9 miles
  • School Type: public university
  • Enrollment: 9,891 (8,095 undergraduate)
  • Distinguishing Features: 67-acre campus in a residential neighborhood; diverse student body; students from over 100 countries; 16 to 1 student / faculty ratio; over 70 official clubs and organizations
  • Learn More: Northeastern Illinois University Profile 
13
of 19

Northwestern University

Northwestern University Campus
Northwestern University Campus. Adam Solomon / Flickr
14
of 19

Robert Morris University Illinois

robert-morris-illinois-Zol87-wiki.jpg
Robert Morris University Illinois. Zol87 / Wikimedia Commons
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: < 1 mile
  • School Type: private college with an equal proportion of associate degree and bachelor degree students
  • Enrollment: 3,056 (2,686 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: high graduation rate; focus on professional fields such as business, health, and culinary arts; numerous branch campuses including Springfield, Lake County and Peoria
  • Learn More: Robert Morris University Illinois Website
15
of 19

Roosevelt University

Roosevelt University
Roosevelt University. Ken Lund / Flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 1 mile
  • School Type: comprehensive private university
  • Enrollment: 5,352 (3,239 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: located in the South Loop by Grant Park; new Wabash Building features 17 floors of student housing; NAIA athletic teams
  • Learn More: Roosevelt University Profile 
16
of 19

Saint Xavier University

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 17 miles
  • School Type: private Roman Catholic university
  • Enrollment: 3,949 (2,998 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: oldest Catholic university in Chicago (founded in 1846); 109-acre campus in southwest Chicago; 50 student clubs and organizations; NAIA athletic programs
  • Learn More: Saint Xavier University Profile 
17
of 19

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago. jcarbaugh / Flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: < 1 mile
  • School Type: private school of art and design
  • Enrollment: 3,591 (2,843 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: located in the Chicago Loop; classes are supported by a 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio; no letter grades for classes
  • Learn More: School of the Art Institute of Chicago Profile
18
of 19

University of Chicago

University of Chicago
University of Chicago. josh.ev9 / flickr
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 9 miles
  • School Type: comprehensive private research university
  • Enrollment: 15,391 (5,883 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: one of the country's top universities; highly selective admissions; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the Association of American Universities because of strong research programs
  • Explore the Campus: University of Chicago Photo Tour
  • Learn More: University of Chicago Profile
19
of 19

University of Illinois at Chicago

Courtyard Student Residence at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Courtyard Student Residence at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Photo Credit: Marisa Benjamin
  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Distance from Downtown Chicago: 2 miles
  • School Type: comprehensive public university
  • Enrollment: 29,048 (17,575 undergraduates)
  • Distinguishing Features: three campuses in Chicago; well-known medical school; chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for strong liberal arts and sciences; member of the NCAA Division I Horizon League
  • Learn More: University of Illinois at Chicago Profile 
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Grove, Allen. "Colleges and Universities in Chicago." ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/colleges-and-universities-in-chicago-786982. Grove, Allen. (2021, February 16). Colleges and Universities in Chicago. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/colleges-and-universities-in-chicago-786982 Grove, Allen. "Colleges and Universities in Chicago." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/colleges-and-universities-in-chicago-786982 (accessed March 29, 2023).