by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Social Work is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 9th of all the majors we analyze. In 2021-2022, 58,037 degrees were awarded to students with this major.
Across Illinois, there were 2,749 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 42 colleges that offer a degree in social work. That schools that top this list have a program in social work in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois social work students.
Out of the 42 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Aurora University landed the #1 spot on the list. Aurora is located in Aurora, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 766 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 42 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Erikson Institute landed the #2 spot on the list. Erikson Institute is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 21 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Augustine College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 20 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northeastern Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois. Northeastern Illinois University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 159 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at Northeastern Illinois University
Out of the 42 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Dominican University landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in River Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 98 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Governors State University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois list. Governors State University is a small school located in University Park, Illinois that handed out 56 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
With a ranking of #7, Loyola University Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois list. Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 346 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.
Trinity Christian College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois list. Located in Palos Heights, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Chicago State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago State University is a small public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 16 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 90 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Wabash Valley College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #11. Wabash Valley College is a small public school situated in Mount Carmel, Illinois. It awarded 4 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school awarded 229 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at University of Illinois at Chicago
University of St Francis landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking. University of Saint Francis is located in Joliet, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 24 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Olivet Nazarene University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois list. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 23 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at Olivet Nazarene University
University of Chicago came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social work degrees to 200 students in 2021-2022.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 99%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Greenville University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Greenville, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 degrees to qualified ’s social work students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
With a ranking of #17, Lewis University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois list. This medium-sized school is located in Romeoville, Illinois, and it awarded 54 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Methodist College ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois list. Methodist College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 3 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #19. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 22 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 69 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #21. This small school is located in Springfield, Illinois, and it awarded 18 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Bradley University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking. Bradley is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 22 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 251 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Illinois State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #24. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 78 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at Illinois State University
With a ranking of #25, Millikin University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Social Work Major in Illinois list. Millikin University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decatur, Illinois. It awarded 8 ’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
