2026 Best Zoology Schools in Illinois
Zoology is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for zoology students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Zoology in Illinois
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the zoology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Zoology
Olivet Nazarene University tops our 2026 ranking of the best zoology schools. Located in the suburb of Bourbonnais, Olivet Nazarene University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. About 61% of students finish within six years. About 15 zoology degrees were awarded at Olivet Nazarene University in the most recent year. Graduates of the zoology program make about $48,505 in their early career. Olivet Nazarene University graduates carry a median of $26,797 in student loans.
Get the full zoology details for Olivet Nazarene University
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best zoology schools. This large public university is located in the town of Carbondale. Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduates 60% of students within six years. There were roughly 60 zoology students who graduated with this degree at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the most recent data year. Graduates of the zoology program make about $34,014 in their early career. Southern Illinois University Carbondale graduates carry a median of $21,717 in student loans.
Get the full zoology details for Southern Illinois University Carbondale
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 4 schools evaluated.
- 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
