2024 Illinois Colleges Graduation Rate Comparison
For the academic year 2022-2023, the average graduation rate at Illinois colleges is 48.6%. The graduation rate is calculated by number of completers by dividing number of candidates. The completers have completed their degree/certificate within 150% of normal time, for example within 6 years for 4-years BS degree program. The average transfer-out rate is 20.6% and the average retention rate is 71.5% (full-time students).
Illinois College Graduation, Transfer-out, Retention Rate Statistics
The next list shows the colleges with the highest and lowest graduation rate and more relative statistics. For that, we include only 4-year colleges and having more than 500 enrolled students.
- Northwestern University has the highest graduation rate of 96% and East-West University has the lowest graduation rate of 11% and .
- Chamberlain University-Illinois has the highest transfer-out rate of 50% and Wheaton College has the lowest transfer-out rate of 9% and .
- University of Chicago has the highest retention rate of 99% and East-West University has the lowest retention rate of 43% and .
Graduation Rate Comparison Between Illinois Colleges
The following table lists Illinois colleges with graduation, transfer-out, and retention rate. The graduation rate is based on the number of completers who completed their program within 150% normal time (i.e. within 6 years for 4 years B.S. degrees).
You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using the buttons below.
| College Name | Graduation Rate | Transfer-out Rate | Retention Rate (full-time) | Retention Rate (part-time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Academy of Art College Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 58% | 7% | 68% | 33 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | 20% | 79% | 40 |
| Augustana College Rock Island, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 77% | - | 81% | - |
| Aurora University Aurora, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 59% | - | 73% | - |
| Southwestern Illinois College Belleville, IL Public, 2-4 years | 28% | 17% | 63% | 47 |
| Black Hawk College Moline, IL Public, 2-4 years | 37% | 16% | 61% | 44 |
| Blackburn College Carlinville, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 35% | - | 38% | - |
| Bradley University Peoria, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 76% | - | 83% | 67 |
| Carl Sandburg College Galesburg, IL Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 9% | 66% | 48 |
| Chicago State University Chicago, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 27% | 30% | 55% | 29 |
| University of Chicago Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 95% | - | 99% | - |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College Chicago, IL Public, 2-4 years | 23% | 11% | 46% | 35 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College Chicago, IL Public, 2-4 years | 18% | 12% | 56% | 40 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College Chicago, IL Public, 2-4 years | 19% | 17% | 49% | 30 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College Chicago, IL Public, 2-4 years | 23% | 13% | 63% | 41 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College Chicago, IL Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 8% | 56% | 37 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College Chicago, IL Public, 2-4 years | 22% | 11% | 62% | 47 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College Chicago, IL Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 10% | 67% | 45 |
| Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 47% | - | 67% | 13 |
| Concordia University-Chicago River Forest, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 48% | 37% | 58% | - |
| Danville Area Community College Danville, IL Public, 2-4 years | 45% | 9% | 65% | 42 |
| DePaul University Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 69% | 18% | 84% | 19 |
| College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL Public, 2-4 years | 22% | 27% | 67% | 49 |
| East-West University Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 11% | - | 43% | - |
| Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 54% | 28% | 71% | 43 |
| Elgin Community College Elgin, IL Public, 2-4 years | 37% | 19% | 73% | 52 |
| Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 63% | - | 80% | - |
| Eureka College Eureka, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 53% | 26% | 57% | - |
| Fox College Tinley Park, IL Private, 2-4 years | 76% | - | 71% | - |
| Governors State University University Park, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 20% | 39% | 56% | 40 |
| Greenville University Greenville, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 57% | - | 76% | - |
| Hebrew Theological College Skokie, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 20% | 53% | 92% | - |
| Highland Community College Freeport, IL Public, 2-4 years | 49% | 10% | 66% | 45 |
| University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 61% | - | 78% | 44 |
| Benedictine University Lisle, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 53% | - | 67% | 75 |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 84% | - | 93% | 83 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 79% | - | 82% | - |
| Illinois Central College East Peoria, IL Public, 2-4 years | 31% | 22% | 70% | 49 |
| Illinois College Jacksonville, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 67% | - | 73% | - |
| Olney Central College Olney, IL Public, 2-4 years | 59% | 15% | 66% | 64 |
| Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 75% | 13% | 85% | 67 |
| Illinois State University Normal, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 66% | - | 80% | 32 |
| Illinois Valley Community College Oglesby, IL Public, 2-4 years | 41% | 15% | 66% | 44 |
| John A Logan College Carterville, IL Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 18% | 63% | 48 |
| John Wood Community College Quincy, IL Public, 2-4 years | 46% | 15% | 67% | 51 |
| Joliet Junior College Joliet, IL Public, 2-4 years | 17% | 20% | 57% | 36 |
| Judson University Elgin, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 53% | 21% | 61% | - |
| Kankakee Community College Kankakee, IL Public, 2-4 years | 30% | 14% | 59% | 53 |
| Kaskaskia College Centralia, IL Public, 2-4 years | 37% | 14% | 64% | 58 |
| Kishwaukee College Malta, IL Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 14% | 66% | 51 |
| Knox College Galesburg, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 74% | 18% | 82% | - |
| College of Lake County Grayslake, IL Public, 2-4 years | 33% | 17% | 71% | 58 |
| Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 77% | 16% | 85% | 100 |
| Lake Land College Mattoon, IL Public, 2-4 years | 46% | 13% | 73% | 38 |
| Lewis and Clark Community College Godfrey, IL Public, 2-4 years | 42% | 11% | 64% | 57 |
| Lewis University Romeoville, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 62% | 23% | 81% | 100 |
| Lincoln Christian University Lincoln, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 63% | 6% | 8% | - |
| Lincoln College Lincoln, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 33% | 25% | 49% | - |
| Lincoln Land Community College Springfield, IL Public, 2-4 years | 40% | 12% | 68% | 48 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park Melrose Park, IL Private, 2-4 years | 54% | - | 84% | - |
| Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 70% | 22% | 81% | 20 |
| Generations College Chicago, IL Private, 2-4 years | 13% | - | 20% | 25 |
| McHenry County College Crystal Lake, IL Public, 2-4 years | 34% | 20% | 70% | 45 |
| McKendree University Lebanon, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 55% | - | 75% | - |
| Methodist College Peoria, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 73% | 10% | 100% | 50 |
| Millikin University Decatur, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 57% | - | 70% | - |
| Monmouth College Monmouth, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 56% | - | 77% | - |
| Moody Bible Institute Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 60% | 11% | 75% | 31 |
| Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills, IL Public, 2-4 years | 34% | 17% | 72% | 56 |
| Morrison Institute of Technology Morrison, IL Private, 2-4 years | 78% | - | 86% | - |
| Morton College Cicero, IL Public, 2-4 years | 24% | 13% | 68% | 52 |
| National Louis University Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 30% | 15% | 61% | 34 |
| North Central College Naperville, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 63% | - | 77% | - |
| North Park University Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 55% | - | 71% | - |
| Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 53% | - | 65% | 29 |
| Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 96% | - | 98% | - |
| Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 18% | - | 63% | 19 |
| Oakton Community College Des Plaines, IL Public, 2-4 years | 27% | 28% | 76% | 30 |
| Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 66% | - | 77% | - |
| Parkland College Champaign, IL Public, 2-4 years | 33% | 20% | 63% | 45 |
| Prairie State College Chicago Heights, IL Public, 2-4 years | 15% | 20% | 52% | 31 |
| Principia College Elsah, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 76% | - | 82% | - |
| Quincy University Quincy, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 50% | - | 69% | - |
| Rend Lake College Ina, IL Public, 2-4 years | 55% | 12% | 65% | 41 |
| Richland Community College Decatur, IL Public, 2-4 years | 40% | 14% | 71% | 58 |
| Rock Valley College Rockford, IL Public, 2-4 years | 36% | 11% | 64% | 45 |
| Rockford University Rockford, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 40% | - | 64% | - |
| Roosevelt University Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 42% | 24% | 60% | - |
| Dominican University River Forest, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 58% | 29% | 75% | 100 |
| University of St Francis Joliet, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 64% | - | 71% | - |
| Saint Xavier University Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 52% | 27% | 71% | 33 |
| University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 53% | - | 76% | 50 |
| Sauk Valley Community College Dixon, IL Public, 2-4 years | 45% | 16% | 68% | 52 |
| Shawnee Community College Ullin, IL Public, 2-4 years | 50% | 13% | 61% | 45 |
| St. Augustine College Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 22% | - | 83% | - |
| Southeastern Illinois College Harrisburg, IL Public, 2-4 years | 41% | 21% | 74% | 41 |
| National Latino Education Institute Chicago, IL Private, Less than 2 years | 100% | - | 80% | - |
| Spoon River College Canton, IL Public, 2-4 years | 41% | 11% | 54% | 74 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 49% | - | 70% | 42 |
| Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 53% | 29% | 71% | 18 |
| Taylor Business Institute Chicago, IL Private, 2-4 years | 55% | - | 54% | - |
| Telshe Yeshiva-Chicago Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 10% | 90% | 79% | - |
| South Suburban College South Holland, IL Public, 2-4 years | 18% | 21% | 68% | 39 |
| Tri-County Beauty Academy LITCHFIELD, IL Private, Less than 2 years | 100% | - | 50% | - |
| Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 68% | - | 77% | - |
| Trinity International University-Illinois Deerfield, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 49% | 38% | 71% | - |
| Triton College River Grove, IL Public, 2-4 years | 34% | 11% | 60% | 42 |
| VanderCook College of Music Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 57% | - | 80% | - |
| Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove, IL Public, 2-4 years | 33% | 18% | 69% | 51 |
| Western Illinois University Macomb, IL Public, 4 years four-years | 47% | 30% | 67% | 29 |
| Wheaton College Wheaton, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 88% | 9% | 90% | 100 |
| William Rainey Harper College Palatine, IL Public, 2-4 years | 43% | 17% | 73% | 57 |
| Northwestern College Oak Lawn, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 38% | - | - | - |
| Universal Technical Institute of Illinois Inc Lisle, IL Private, 2-4 years | 49% | - | 66% | - |
| Worsham College of Mortuary Science Wheeling, IL Private, 2-4 years | 78% | 8% | 88% | - |
| Heartland Community College Normal, IL Public, 2-4 years | 40% | 11% | 76% | 56 |
| Frontier Community College Fairfield, IL Public, 2-4 years | 55% | 34% | 67% | 67 |
| Lincoln Trail College Robinson, IL Public, 2-4 years | 52% | 32% | 67% | 44 |
| Wabash Valley College Mount Carmel, IL Public, 2-4 years | 57% | 28% | 72% | 67 |
| Pacific College of Health and Science Chicago, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 57% | - | - | - |
| Rasmussen University-Illinois Rockford, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 54% | - | - | - |
| Chamberlain University-Illinois Addison, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 37% | 50% | 69% | - |
| Midwestern Career College Chicago, IL Private, 2-4 years | 60% | - | 55% | - |
| DeVry University-Illinois Naperville, IL Private, 4 years four-years | 43% | 17% | 65% | 43 |
| SAE Institute of Technology-Chicago Chicago, IL Private, 2-4 years | 31% | - | 30% | - |
| Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College Rockford, IL Private, 2-4 years | 68% | - | 70% | - |
| Average | 49% | 21% | 72% | 57 |
Most Compared Illinois Colleges
The following Illinois college pairs are frequently compared by users. You can compare the schools by their most important academic factors such as acceptance rate and tuition.