Illinois Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide
The school guide below is designed to help aspiring teachers find and evaluate teaching schools in Illinois. Fortunately, numerous Illinois colleges and universities offer degree programs for both aspiring and existing teachers. Continue reading to find useful information, such as a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs and lists of the most affordable and top-rated teaching programs in Illinois.
Table of Contents
- IL Teacher Preparation Program Comparison
- 20 Affordable IL Bachelor’s in Education Programs
- Top-Ranked Illinois Education Programs
- Best Bachelor’s in Education Programs
- Best Online M.Ed. Programs
- US News Best Graduate Education Programs
- Schools With Associate Degrees in Education
Comparison of Illinois Schools With Teacher Preparation Programs
The table below compares 54 Illinois teacher preparation programs across key factors. All listed institutions are not-for-profit and approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Completing a state-approved program is a key step toward licensure. While Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accreditation is not required for licensure, we include it because CAEP is a nationally respected accreditor whose standards are recognized or accepted in many states.
Data includes enrollment, completion, and pass rates for traditional and alternative programs, based on the 2024 Title II Report (2022-2023 school year). Traditional programs are usually part of a bachelor’s degree, while alternative certification programs target career changers and may lead to a certificate or master’s degree. Many schools offer both—review our Illinois traditional certification guide and our Illinois alternative certification guide for more. Net price reflects the average annual cost for in-state undergraduates—tuition, books, room and board—minus grants and scholarships.
| State-Approved School | CAEP Accred.?1 | Trad. Teacher Program Enrollment2 | Trad. Teacher Prep Prog. Completers 2 | Trad. Licensing Exams Pass Rate2 | Alt. Teacher Program Enrollment 2 | Alt. Teacher Prep Prog. Completers 2 | Alt. Licensing Exams Pass Rate2 | Net Price3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augustana College | No | 156 | 47 | 89% | — | — | — | $24,233 |
| Aurora University | No | 448 | 163 | 79% | — | — | — | $17,563 |
| Benedictine University | No | 64 | 13 | 73% | — | — | — | $27,061 |
| Blackburn College | No | 176 | 43 | 94% | — | — | — | $15,603 |
| Bradley University | No | 189 | 62 | 100% | — | — | — | $25,850 |
| Chicago State University | No | 239 | 30 | 88% | — | — | — | $8,637 |
| City Colleges of Chicago: Harry S. Truman College | No | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,712 |
| College of Lake County | No | — | — | — | — | — | — | $3,940 |
| Concordia University Chicago | Yes | 256 | 50 | 98% | — | — | — | $17,363 |
| DePaul University | No | 664 | 244 | 89% | — | — | — | $33,319 |
| Dominican University | No | 112 | 43 | 95% | 114 | 38 | 91% | $18,685 |
| Eastern Illinois University | Yes | 664 | 195 | 85% | — | — | — | $13,551 |
| Elmhurst College | No | 235 | 86 | 96% | — | — | — | $21,776 |
| Erikson Institute | No | 36 | 5 | 93% | — | — | — | N.Av. |
| Eureka College | No | 36 | 13 | 88% | — | — | — | $22,153 |
| Governors State University | Yes | 231 | 63 | 89% | — | — | — | $9,998 |
| Greenville College | Yes | 140 | 42 | 72% | — | — | — | $21,366 |
| Hebrew Theological College | No | 12 | 7 | N.Av. | — | — | — | $14,914 |
| Illinois College | No | 71 | 25 | 99% | — | — | — | $17,544 |
| Illinois State University | Yes | 4152 | 978 | 93% | — | — | — | $20,933 |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | No | 68 | 19 | 88% | — | — | — | $32,545 |
| Judson University | No | 30 | 5 | N.Av. | — | — | — | $16,039 |
| Knox College | No | 39 | 16 | 73% | — | — | — | $23,266 |
| Lake Forest College | No | 43 | 15 | 98% | — | — | — | $26,968 |
| Lewis University | No | 376 | 157 | 95% | — | — | — | $20,022 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Yes | 313 | 63 | 91% | — | — | — | $37,731 |
| McKendree University | No | 210 | 54 | 92% | — | — | — | $20,869 |
| Millikin University | No | 172 | 67 | 98% | — | — | — | $19,948 |
| Monmouth College | No | 52 | 17 | 88% | — | — | — | $18,685 |
| National Louis University | Yes | 2562 | 556 | 90% | 132 | 27 | N.Av. | $14,769 |
| North Central College | No | 144 | 35 | 98% | — | — | — | $26,053 |
| North Park University | No | 285 | 61 | 86% | — | — | — | $19,320 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | Yes | 660 | 244 | 88% | — | — | — | $14,831 |
| Northern Illinois University | Yes | 1168 | 573 | 92% | — | — | — | $14,397 |
| Northwestern University | No | 63 | 35 | 92% | — | — | — | $28,344 |
| Olivet Nazarene University | No | 231 | 62 | 88% | — | — | — | $20,006 |
| Quincy University | No | 115 | 31 | 85% | — | — | — | $16,599 |
| Rockford University | No | 312 | 65 | 96% | — | — | — | $23,417 |
| Roosevelt University | No | 221 | 87 | 99% | 26 | 3 | N.Av. | $22,856 |
| Saint Xavier University | Yes | 434 | 99 | 83% | 82 | 37 | 88% | $13,326 |
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | No | 43 | 22 | 87% | — | — | — | $51,606 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | Yes | 336 | 129 | 83% | — | — | — | $15,638 |
| Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville | Yes | 795 | 208 | 95% | — | — | — | $14,506 |
| The Chicago School | No | — | — | — | — | — | — | N.Av. |
| Trinity Christian College | No | 189 | 44 | 75% | — | — | — | $23,177 |
| Trinity International University | No | 24 | 7 | 82% | — | — | — | $21,271 |
| University of Chicago | No | 12 | 12 | 94% | — | — | — | $36,584 |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | No | 690 | 213 | 98% | 81 | 42 | 100% | $12,614 |
| University of Illinois at Springfield | No | 153 | 45 | 100% | — | — | — | $11,628 |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | No | 673 | 293 | 98% | — | — | — | $13,517 |
| University of St. Francis | Yes | 151 | 51 | 90% | — | — | — | $16,761 |
| VanderCook College of Music | No | 36 | 13 | 92% | — | — | — | $25,764 |
| Western Illinois University | No | 389 | 71 | 100% | — | — | — | $15,361 |
| Wheaton College | No | 151 | 39 | 80% | — | — | — | $27,474 |
- — indicates none or not applicable.
- N.Av. indicates data was not available or pass rates were omitted for confidentiality.
Most Affordable Bachelor’s in Education Programs in Illinois
Our list of the most affordable bachelor’s in education programs is based on the net price per year for undergraduate tuition. Net price is the average cost of attendance after grants and scholarships are applied. These 20 most affordable schools have a net price under $17,000.
- City Colleges of Chicago Harry S. Truman College ($3,712)
- College of Lake County ($3,940)
- Chicago State University ($8,637)
- Governors State University ($9,998)
- University of Illinois at Springfield ($11,628)
- University of Illinois at Chicago ($12,614)
- Saint Xavier University ($13,326)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ($13,517)
- Eastern Illinois University ($13,551)
- Northern Illinois University ($14,397)
- Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville ($14,506)
- National Louis University ($14,769)
- Northeastern Illinois University ($14,831)
- Hebrew Theological College ($14,914)
- Western Illinois University ($15,361)
- Blackburn College ($15,603)
- Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ($15,638)
- Judson University ($16,039)
- Quincy University ($16,599)
- University of St. Francis ($16,761)3
Top-Ranked Schools With Education Programs in Illinois
Best Bachelor’s in Education Programs in Illinois
Our list of the top 20 bachelor’s in education programs is based on the traditional pathway pass rate data from the 2024 Title II Reports.
- Bradley University (100%)
- University of Illinois at Springfield (100%)
- Western Illinois University (100%)
- Illinois College (99%)
- Roosevelt University (99%)
- Millikin University (98%)
- Concordia University Chicago (98%)
- Lake Forest College (98%)
- North Central College (98%)
- University of Illinois at Chicago (98%)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (98%)
- Elmhurst College (96%)
- Rockford University (96%)
- Dominican University (95%)
- Lewis University (95%)
- Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (95%)2
Best Online Master of Education (M.Ed.) Programs in Illinois
Visit our ranking of the best online Master of Education (M.Ed.) programs in Illinois to see the full list plus a breakdown of the most affordable schools.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Northern Illinois University
- Illinois State University
- Eastern Illinois University
- Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2025
- Northwestern University (#6 tie)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (#31 tie)
- University of Illinois Chicago (#73 tie)
- Illinois State University (#81 tie)
- Loyola University Chicago (#90 tie)
- DePaul University (#160 tie)
- Lewis University (#176 tie)
- University of St. Francis (#222 tie)
- Judson University (#234-258)
- McKendree University (#234-258)4
Schools With Associate Degrees in Education
While a bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational level required to qualify for state certification, an associate degree can be the first step toward a career in education. It can qualify graduates for careers in non-licensed roles in early childhood education, after-school care, and related areas. The credits earned from an accredited associate degree program can also typically be transferred toward a bachelor’s degree. The 31 Illinois schools below offer associate degrees in education.3 Schools with an asterisk (*) also offer four-year teaching programs and/or alternative route to certification programs.
- City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
- College of DuPage
- College of Lake County*
- Danville Area Community College
- Elgin Community College
- Frontier Community College
- Highland Community College
- Illinois Central College
- Illinois Valley Community College
- John A Logan College
- Joliet Junior College
- Kankakee Community College
- Kaskaskia College
- Kishwaukee College
- Lake Land College
- Lincoln Trail College
- McHenry County College
- Moraine Valley Community College*
- Morton College
- Oakton Community College
- Olney Central College
- Parkland College
- Prairie State College*
- Roosevelt University*
- Sauk Valley Community College
- South Suburban College*
- Southwestern Illinois College
- St. Augustine College
- Wabash Valley College
- Waubonsee Community College
- William Rainey Harper College*
References:
1. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): https://caepnet.org/provider-search
2. US Department of Education 2024 Title II Report: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx
3. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2025: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings