2023 Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois
Finding the Best Political Science & Government School for You
In 2020-2021, 1,470 degrees and certificates were awarded to political science and government students who went to a Illinois college or university. This makes it the #27 most popular major in the state.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.
The Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 28 schools in Illinois to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured Political Science & Government Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
2023 Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois
The colleges and universities below are the best for political science majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Political Science & Government Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Northwestern University the best school in Illinois for political science and government students. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Evanston.
On average, political science graduates from Northwestern take out $18,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
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The excellent programs at University of Chicago helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best political science and government schools in Illinois. Located in the large city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
After completing their degree, political science graduates from UChicago carry an average student debtload of $13,632.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Lake Forest College is a great place for political science and government students. Lake Forest is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Lake Forest.
While working on their degree, political science majors at Lake Forest accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
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Out of the 28 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Wheaton College Illinois landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the large suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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Out of the 28 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the # 5 spot on the list. UIUC is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Champaign.
The average amount in student loans that political science majors at UIUC take out is $19,500. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $317, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Dominican University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois ranking. Dominican U is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of River Forest.
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Elmhurst University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois list. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Elmhurst.
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Augustana College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in the city of Rock Island, Augustana is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, political science graduates from Augustana take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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North Central College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for political science and government students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the city of Naperville, North Central is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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Illinois State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois list. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public college with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, political science graduates from Illinois State carry an average student debtload of $22,500. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $317, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Political Science & Government at Illinois State University Report
Request InformationBest Political Science & Government Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
Explore all the Best Political Science & Government Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Michigan | 1,044 |
| Ohio | 1,433 |
| Indiana | 798 |
| Wisconsin | 925 |
More Political Science & Government Rankings in Illinois
Rankings in Majors Related to Political Science
Political Science & Government is one of 12 different types of programs to choose from.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Economics | 49,055 |
| Sociology | 38,475 |
| General Social Sciences | 18,997 |
| International Relations & National Security | 14,306 |
| Anthropology | 11,415 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to UKWiki at English Wikipedia.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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