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Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois

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2023 Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois

28 Colleges
$36,042 Avg Salary
$23,569 Avg Student Debt

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.

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

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

Our analysis found Northwestern University to be the best school for political science and government students who want to pursue a degree in Illinois. Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston.

On average, political science graduates from Northwestern take out $18,500 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read More…

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois list. Located in the 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.

Full Political Science & Government at University of Chicago Report

#3

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, IL

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Lake Forest College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Political Science & Government Schools in Illinois list. 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.

Full Political Science & Government at Lake Forest College Report

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Wheaton College Illinois is a great place for political science and government students. Located in the suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Wheaton College Illinois

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a great place for political science and government students. UIUC is a very large public school located in the 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.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#6

Dominican University

River Forest, IL

Dominican University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for political science and government students. It came in at #6 on the list. Dominican U is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of River Forest.

Full Political Science & Government at Dominican University Report

#7

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, IL

Elmhurst University landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best political science and government programs. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Elmhurst.

Full Political Science & Government at Elmhurst University Report

#8

Augustana College

Rock Island, IL

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.

Full Political Science & Government at Augustana College Report

#9

North Central College

Naperville, IL

North Central College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best political science and government programs. Located in the midsize city of Naperville, North Central is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at North Central College

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 fairly 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

Best 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

Political Science & Government is one of 12 different types of programs to choose from.

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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