2026 Best Operations Management Schools in Illinois
Operations Management is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their operations management programs.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for operations management students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Operations Management 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 operations management degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Operations Management
No school ranked higher than University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year for operations management. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Roughly 85% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 10 operations management students who graduated with this degree at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign in the most recent data year. Graduates of the operations management program make about $93,621 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $19,175.
Get the full operations management details for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
Northern Illinois University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in operations management, landing the #2 spot this year. Northern Illinois University is a large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb. Northern Illinois University graduates 49% of students within six years. There were roughly 43 operations management students who graduated with this degree at Northern Illinois University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their operations management degree from Northern Illinois University earn around $68,932 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,500.
Read more about the operations management program at Northern Illinois University
Loyola University Chicago is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in operations management, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university. About 75% of students finish within six years. Loyola University Chicago awarded about 16 operations management degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, operations management degree recipients from Loyola University Chicago generally make around $83,063. Loyola University Chicago graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans.
Read more about the operations management program at Loyola University Chicago
Joliet Junior College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in operations management, landing the #4 spot this year. Joliet Junior College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Joliet. Joliet Junior College awarded about 64 operations management degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, operations management degree recipients from Joliet Junior College generally make around $39,887. Joliet Junior College graduates carry a median of $11,995 in student loans.
See the full operations management program report for Joliet Junior College
Mchenry County College is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in operations management, ranking #5. Set in the rural area of Crystal Lake, Mchenry County College is a large public institution. Mchenry County College awarded about 14 operations management degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the operations management program make about $24,177 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $7,440 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in operations management from Mchenry County College
More Operations Management Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 13 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.
