42 colleges · Illinois
Political science colleges in Illinois
42 colleges in Illinois offer a bachelor's degree in political science (12 public). Graduates of the typical program here earned $44,100 a year after graduating, compared with $43,363 nationally.
All political science programs in Illinois
Sorted by earnings four years after graduation. Click a heading to sort.
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of ChicagoChicago, IL | 102 | $57,837 | $87,869 | $14,928 |
| Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL | 103 | $54,360 | $73,231 | $19,250 |
| Benedictine UniversityLisle, IL | 12 | n/a | $71,749 | n/a |
| University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL | 273 | $44,661 | $69,515 | $17,000 |
| Roosevelt UniversityChicago, IL | 11 | n/a | $68,226 | n/a |
| Loyola University ChicagoChicago, IL | 139 | $44,178 | $63,437 | $21,500 |
| Lake Forest CollegeLake Forest, IL | 26 | $23,698 | $61,770 | $19,500 |
| Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, IL | 24 | n/a | $61,519 | $19,000 |
| Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago, IL | 7 | $44,100 | $60,545 | n/a |
| University of Illinois ChicagoChicago, IL | 84 | $41,292 | $60,020 | $14,000 |
| Illinois State UniversityNormal, IL | 83 | $40,508 | $59,571 | $21,500 |
| Aurora UniversityAurora, IL | 14 | n/a | $58,503 | n/a |
| University of Illinois SpringfieldSpringfield, IL | 19 | $45,606 | $58,236 | $16,853 |
| DePaul UniversityChicago, IL | 102 | $42,691 | $58,163 | $21,500 |
| Bradley UniversityPeoria, IL | 20 | $47,246 | $57,832 | $27,000 |
| Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale, IL | 21 | $32,769 | $55,544 | $19,500 |
| Augustana CollegeRock Island, IL | 24 | $40,588 | $55,295 | $27,000 |
| Knox CollegeGalesburg, IL | 13 | n/a | $54,341 | n/a |
| Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL | 53 | $37,301 | $54,039 | $19,899 |
| Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL | 22 | $46,843 | $52,564 | $14,007 |
| Western Illinois UniversityMacomb, IL | 14 | $44,170 | $50,963 | n/a |
| Wheaton CollegeWheaton, IL | 22 | $43,613 | n/a | $19,500 |
| Blackburn CollegeCarlinville, IL | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Chicago State UniversityChicago, IL | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Concordia University-ChicagoRiver Forest, IL | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dominican UniversityRiver Forest, IL | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Elmhurst UniversityElmhurst, IL | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Governors State UniversityUniversity Park, IL | 8 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Illinois CollegeJacksonville, IL | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Illinois Wesleyan UniversityBloomington, IL | 17 | n/a | n/a | $27,000 |
| Lewis UniversityRomeoville, IL | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| McKendree UniversityLebanon, IL | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Millikin UniversityDecatur, IL | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Monmouth CollegeMonmouth, IL | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| North Central CollegeNaperville, IL | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| North Park UniversityChicago, IL | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Olivet Nazarene UniversityBourbonnais, IL | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Principia CollegeElsah, IL | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Quincy UniversityQuincy, IL | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Rockford UniversityRockford, IL | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Saint Xavier UniversityChicago, IL | 10 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| University of St FrancisJoliet, IL | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Frequently asked questions
How many colleges in Illinois offer political science?
42 colleges in Illinois awarded bachelor's degrees in political science in 2022-23 or 2023-24, 12 of them public.
Where do political science graduates earn the most in Illinois?
University of Chicago, with median earnings of $87,869 four years after graduation (programs with at least 5 graduates).
Political science nationwide · All colleges in Illinois
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.