Best Online Colleges in Illinois for 2024
Get detailed info on Best Online Colleges in Illinois and their online degrees, financial aid and scholarships, acceptance rate, tuition and fees.
Best online colleges in Illinois
Illinois is located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is the 5th most populous state in the United States. It has some of the significant institutions that offer online courses. The state has developed a system of online learning. This new system of learning has catered to many people within and outside the state.
Illinois is a member of the Midwestern-State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement which allows students and working professionals to access online programs and distance education courses across the state. Out of 200 institutions in Illinois, more than 75% of the schools offer online programs. The Illinois Board of Higher Education encourages students to apply only to accredited colleges. Illinois is part of a community called 'Illinois Community Colleges Online' (ILCCO), which is an association of the 48 community colleges in Illinois. This shows us how online colleges are being embraced by the state.
Opportunities for college education in Illinois
Illinois has around 186 degree-granting institutions out of which 60 are public institutions, 83 are private not-for-profit institutions, and 43 are private for-profit institutions. The student enrollment in 2016 was 777,720 and the number of degrees awarded was 40,410 Associate's Degrees, 75,687 Bachelor's Degrees, 42,124 Master's Degrees, 8,860 Doctoral Degrees.
The state provides various financial aids for the students. The institutions also provide scholarships for eligible students. The state provides need-based and non-need based grants which were approximately $372.3 million and $1.051 million respectively between 2013-2014.
The online colleges in Illinois are expanding and have kept their standards high in terms of the quality of online education besides being affordable. The online colleges offer various programs like Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Masters and Doctorate Degrees along with few short-term courses.
Following are the Best Online Colleges in Illinois in 2019.
1 Concordia University Chicago (CU)
River Forest, Illinois
Institution Type: Private Not-For-Profit
Financial Aid Percentage: 100%
Average Financial Aid: $19,182
Acceptance Rate: 50.00
Total Programs Offered (73)
29
Education Programs
28
Business Management Programs
4
Nursing Programs
12
Other Programs
Concordia University in Chicago is a private, not-for-profit, Christian university. It is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The institute offers Baccalaureate, Masters and Doctoral degrees for various programs. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required to take admission in this institution.
The university is a military friendly institute as it provides financial and educational assistance to the military and veteran candidates. The veteran benefits to active service members or military dependents are provided in accordance with the Post 9/11 GI Bill.
It also provides numerous scholarships and other awards to the meritorious and exceptional students. Some of these scholarships and grants include Freshmen Admission Merit Scholarship, Lutheran Servant Grant, Alumni Grant, etc.
2 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, Illinois
Institution Type: Public
Financial Aid Percentage: 48%
Average Financial Aid: $12,921
Acceptance Rate: 60.00
Total Programs Offered (104)
47
Education Programs
12
Business Management Programs
10
Engineering Programs
35
Other Programs
The University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign is a public research institution that accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) offering Undergraduate, Graduate and Professional courses in various majors like Applied Health Science, Education, Media, Medicine, Law, etc.
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.96 is required to take admission in this institution.
It is one of the finest learning centers for veteran candidates and country’s service personnel who are always working towards the safety of the nation. University offers two different programs called Federal Veterans Program and the State of Illinois Veterans Program to the veterans.
It provides merit-based scholarship to the deserving and eligible students. Some of these scholarships and awards are Stamps Scholarship, Provost Scholarship, President’s Award Program Honors, Matthews scholar’s, etc.
3 University of St. Francis
Joliet, Illinois
Institution Type: Private Not-For-Profit
Financial Aid Percentage: 100%
Average Financial Aid: $21,193
Acceptance Rate: 49.00
Total Programs Offered (43)
16
Business Management Programs
13
Education Programs
8
Nursing Programs
6
Other Programs
The University of St. Francis is a Catholic university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). It offers Undergraduate, Graduate, Certificate and Doctoral programs in various fields like Arts & Science, Business & Health Administration, Education, and Nursing.
A cumulative GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 and a minimum composite score of 1030 in the SAT are required to take admission in this university.
USF is always committed towards the country’s service members, veterans and their dependents. St. Francis has been ranked nationally for its outstanding support provided to veteran students.
It provides many kinds of scholarship and financial aid to the students based on their academic performance and achievements. Some of the scholarships are Presidential Scholarship, Trustee Scholarship, Catholic School Scholarship, Music Scholarship, etc.
4 University of Illinois Springfield (UIS)
Springfield, Illinois
Institution Type: Public
Financial Aid Percentage: 92%
Average Financial Aid: $12,449
Acceptance Rate: 65.00
Total Programs Offered (82)
19
Education Programs
10
Business Management Programs
9
Health Science Programs
44
Other Programs
The University of Illinois Springfield is a public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to award Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, Certificate and Online degrees. It offers Accountancy, Anthropology, Biology, Business Administration, Business Process Management, Computer Science, and more.
The minimum grade point average required to take admission here is GPA 3.44 on a scale of 4.0.
It has a separate office for veteran affairs to serve the military personnel, reservists and their dependents. To get the financial assistance facilities such as Federal Grant, Federal Direct Loan, Scholarship, the eligible student will have to register on the official university website.
UIS provides more than 300 scholarships amounting to more than $600000 to its students every year. The university provides Merit Scholarships, UIS Institutional Scholarships, etc.
The institute has been ranked as the most affordable and best value online college in Psychology and Political Science degree program.
5 Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC)
Carbondale, Illinois
Institution Type: Public
Financial Aid Percentage: 87%
Average Financial Aid: $9,774
Acceptance Rate: 77.00
Total Programs Offered (34)
7
Health Science Programs
5
Engineering Programs
4
Business Management Programs
18
Other Programs
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public university in Carbondale which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). It offers a variety of options for pursuing Undergraduates, Graduate and Professional Programs to its students.
To be a part of SIUC, the candidate needs to have a minimum GPA of 3.14.
The university hosts various types of events like Foundation Event, Athletic Event, Public Event Calendar, etc every year for its students. SIUC builds up a network with its veteran students via Monthly Meetings, Social Events, Family Events, Philanthropic Events and many more.
This institution awards a number of scholarships to its students every year for their exceptional academic and extracurricular performances.
6 Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois
Institution Type: Private Not-For-Profit
Financial Aid Percentage: 100%
Average Financial Aid: $17,256
Acceptance Rate: 59.00
Total Programs Offered (28)
8
Nursing Programs
7
Business Management Programs
3
Information Systems Programs
10
Other Programs
Lewis University is a private Catholic institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) offering Undergraduate, Graduate and Online programs in various streams such as Art & Design, Aviation, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Management, etc.
The minimum grade point average required to take admission in this university is GPA 3.39 out of 4.0.
The institution has a separate office for Veteran Affairs and Recruitment to serve the military veterans and their dependents. It charges zero application fees to veterans to show gratitude for their dedication and hard work towards the nation.
It offers many kinds of aid such as grants, loans, scholarships, employer tuition discounts, etc. to encourage the performance and achievement of the deserving candidates.
Lewis University is identified as “College of Distinction” nationwide which is a great achievement in itself for the college and its students.
7 DeVry University
Downers Grove, Illinois
Institution Type: Private For-Profit
Financial Aid Percentage: 94%
Average Financial Aid: $5,508
Acceptance Rate: 91.00
Total Programs Offered (84)
52
Business Management Programs
7
Information Systems Programs
7
Engineering Programs
18
Other Programs
DeVry University is a private, for-profit institution. Its accreditation is given by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). It offers Bachelor’s, Associate’s, Master’s, and Undergraduate Certificates, in Accounting, Business Management, Computer Science, Design, etc.
A cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required to take admission here.
The department of financial aid provides financial assistance to its students and make their education more affordable. The financial aid is provided in the form of scholarships, loans, and grants.
The institution has a career support services team which helps the students with their professional goals, career services, online self-tools, interview coaching, virtual and events, and many more.
8 Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, Illinois
Institution Type: Private Not-For-Profit
Financial Aid Percentage: 100%
Average Financial Aid: $32,067
Acceptance Rate: 57.00
Total Programs Offered (23)
13
Engineering Programs
3
Computer Science Programs
2
Chemistry Programs
5
Other Programs
Illinois Institute of Technology is a private research institute located in Chicago. The college is accredited and recognized by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). It offers various degrees for the innovative mindset and entrepreneurial spirit such as Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctor’s, etc.
The average cumulative grade point required to get into this college is a GPA of 3.92.
The financial aid department of the Illinois institute is committed to supporting veterans by providing various financial assistance such as the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty, Yellow Ribbon Program, Transfer of Post-9/11 GI- Bill Benefits to Dependents (TEB), Reserve Educational Program, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Employment, and many more.
It was the first among other colleges in the locality to introduce barcode technology, magnetic recording, cell phones, and many other advanced innovations.
9 McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois
Institution Type: Private Not-For-Profit
Financial Aid Percentage: 99%
Average Financial Aid: $20,459
Acceptance Rate: 68.00
Total Programs Offered (16)
8
Business Management Programs
3
Nursing Programs
1
Criminal Justice Program
4
Other Programs
McKendree University is a nationally ranked private institution that is accredited by the Highest Learning Commission (HLC). It offers a variety of degrees and certificates such as undergraduate and graduate programs in majors such as Business Management, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Nursing, Psychology, and Sociology.
The cumulative grade point average required to take admission here is a GPA of 3.5.
The university is military friendly and provides numerous benefits to the families that belong to the army. McKendree offers various military aid such as Post 9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program, Veterans Educational Program, GoArmyEd, and many more.
The university makes sure that 90% of the undergraduate and graduate students are employed and are in a good position to start their careers.
10 Benedictine University
Lisle, Illinois
Institution Type: Private Not-For-Profit
Financial Aid Percentage: 99%
Average Financial Aid: $17,475
Acceptance Rate: Request Info
Total Programs Offered (17)
10
Business Management Programs
6
Health Science Programs
1
Nursing Program
Benedictine University is a private Catholic university located in Illinois. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) offering Undergraduate, Graduate and Doctorate degrees in 87 programs such as Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, Business Administration, Business Analytics, etc.
It provides learning options to students via traditional, non-traditional and online classrooms. Its average tuition fee per semester for the undergraduate traditional classroom is $17145 which includes service fees.
The veterans and their dependents receive financial assistance and many other benefits from the Office of Financial Aid. The eligible students must apply for benefits in Veteran Affairs to avail these facilities.
Benedictine offers many types of scholarships and financial aid to its students. Some of these financial aids are the Benedictine Academic Scholar Award, Catholic High School Award, Family Recognition Award, etc.
