2026 Best Medical Science Schools in Illinois

Medical Science degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for medical science students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Medical Science Schools in Illinois

Best Schools for Medical Science in Illinois

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall medical science education in Illinois.

Top Schools in Medical Science

1

Northwestern University
Evanston, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

32 Medical Science Degrees Awarded

$124,451 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked Northwestern University the best school in the country for a degree in medical science. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. Roughly 95% of students complete a degree within six years here. Northwestern University awarded about 32 medical science degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their medical science degree from Northwestern University earn around $124,451 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $16,616 to complete this degree. See the full medical science program report for Northwestern University

2

Rush University
Chicago, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

14 Medical Science Degrees Awarded

$85,204 Median Starting Salary

Rush University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in medical science, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Rush University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. There were roughly 14 medical science students who graduated with this degree at Rush University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the medical science program make about $85,204 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $31,206 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in medical science from Rush University

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 5 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.