2 IL universities among best in the nation for 2026, US News & World Report says
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- U.S. News ranks the University of Chicago 6th and Northwestern tied at 7th.
- Washington University in St. Louis tied in 20th.
- Report details tuition, acceptance rates, graduation rates and alumni median salaries.
U.S. News & World Report named two Illinois universities in the top 10 in its recent ranking of the nation’s best universities for 2026, and one St. Louis institution made the top 20.
Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Stanford University and Yale University took the top five positions in the recent report, with Stanford and Yale tied for fourth.
The University of Chicago was Illinois’ top-ranked university from U.S. News & World Report’s list, landing in sixth place. Founded in 1890, it is known for its medical school, economics program and liberal arts education.
Northwestern University also made the cut, tied in seventh place with Duke University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania. Northwestern was founded in 1851 and also ranked highly in U.S. News & World Report’s “best value schools” and engineering doctorate program lists.
Washington University in St. Louis was the Show Me State’s highest-performing university and landed the 20th spot in the nation, tied with Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and the University of Notre Dame.
The News-Democrat has contacted staff with the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and Washington University in St. Louis for comment about the recent U.S. News & World Report analysis.
This isn’t the first time these three universities have received national recognition recently. Forbes’ “America’s Top Colleges” ranking put the University of Chicago in 13th nationally, with Northwestern in 16th and WashU in 25th place. In addition to academic accolades, Northwestern and WashU were recognized by Condé Nast Traveler earlier this year for having two of the most beautiful college campuses in the country.
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago has an undergraduate enrollment of 7,519, according to U.S. News & World Report, and yearly tuition and fees come out to $73,266. The school’s four-year graduation rate is 87%, and the median annual salary for alumni six years after graduation is $80,870.
Only 4% of applicants are accepted, and the university reports it “met 100% of its students’ financial aid need” in fall 2023, and the average annual cost of attendance after aid is $20,531. The average amount of debt at graduation is $36,216, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Northwestern University
Northwestern has an undergraduate enrollment of 9,060, with annual tuition and fees adding up to $70,589, according to U.S. News & World Report. The institution’s four-year graduation rate is 83%, and the median annual salary for alumni six years after graduation is $76,844.
The university’s acceptance rate is 8%, and 43% of first-year students receive need-based financial aid. The average net price for those receiving federal loans is $25,057. The average amount of debt at graduation is $32,540.
Washington University in St. Louis
WashU has 8,220 undergraduate students, with annual tuition and fees totaling $69,594, according to U.S. News & World Report. The university’s four-year graduation rate is 85%, and the median annual salary for alumni six years after graduation is $78,073.
The university’s acceptance rate is 12%, and 44% of first-year students receive need-based financial aid. The average net price for those receiving federal loans is $20,768. The average amount of debt at graduation is $26,666.
Top 20 universities in the US
Here’s how U.S. News & World Report’s top 20 national institutions performed:
1. Princeton University
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
3. Harvard University
4. Stanford University (tie)
4. Yale University (tie)
6. University of Chicago
7. Duke University (tie)
7. Johns Hopkins University (tie)
7. Northwestern University (tie)
7. University of Pennsylvania (tie)
11. California Institute of Technology
12. Cornell University
13. Brown University (tie)
13. Dartmouth College (tie)
15. Columbia University (tie)
15. University of California, Berkeley (tie)
17. Rice University (tie)
17. University of California, Los Angeles (tie)
17. Vanderbilt University (tie)
20. Carnegie Mellon University (tie)
20. University of Michigan Ann Arbor (tie)
20. University of Notre Dame (tie)
20. Washington University in St. Louis (tie)
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