Illinois Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

The school guide found below is designed to help aspiring teachers find and evaluate teaching schools in Illinois. Fortunately for new students, there are several colleges and universities that offer degree programs for aspiring teachers looking to obtain a teaching degree in Illinois. For details on programs in the state, scroll down to find useful information such as lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews. Whether researching college for the first time or looking to change careers, the information on this page is intended to help future teachers find a quality program that meets their individual career goals.

Quick Facts

• There are 93 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Illinois.¹
• 34 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*¹
• 52 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*¹
• 48 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*¹
• 10 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values in 2019.²
• 11 schools ranked in US News Best Graduate Education Programs in 2019.³
• 7 schools ranked in US News Best Online Graduate Education Programs in 2019.⁴
• 22 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.

*For not-for-profit four-year colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Illinois

Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*

• University of Chicago (#44)
• Wheaton College (#49)
• Northwestern University (#56)
• Principia College (#79)
• Illinois Wesleyan University (#97)
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (#98)
• Augustana College (#151)
• Knox College (#156)
• Lake Forest College (#193)
• Bradley University (#215)

*Institution-wide ranking.

US News Best Graduate Education Programs 2019

• Northwestern University (#10)
• University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign (#50 tie)
• University of Illinois at Chicago (#53 tie)
• Illinois State University (#88 tie)
• Loyola University Chicago (#118 tie)
• Northern Illinois University (#163 tie)
• DePaul University (#172 tie)
• McKendree University (#195-258)
• National-Louis University (#195-258)
• University of St. Francis (#195-258)
• Western Illinois University (#195-258)

US News Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019

• Northern Illinois University (#9 tie)
• University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign (#16 tie)
• University of St. Francis (#61 tie)
• University of Illinois-Springfield (#77 tie)
• Concordia University (#132 tie)
• McKendree University (#139 tie)
• Chicago State University (#228-299)

Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Illinois according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Illinois State Board of Education for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2017-2018 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.

Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.

*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

Profiles of Well-Known Schools

DePaul University: Located in Chicago, DePaul is a private university with a stellar College of Education that regularly trains and educates the city’s finest educators at all levels. DePaul has a rich tradition of academic excellence grounded in scholarly research and academic rigor. The university is routinely regarded as one of the finest in the nation. The College of Education dates back to 1911 when it was founded as one of the university’s departments. It was named one of the university’s colleges in 1962 and has grown to be one of the university’s largest colleges. The College of Education offers degrees at all levels with dozens of majors to choose from depending on career goal and area of interest. The two most popular degrees at the undergraduate level include the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and the Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education. Graduate students have several options including fully online iterations of degrees that combine the rigor of a DePaul education with the flexibility needed for those who work.

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Illinois

Request free information from the following schools to learn more about your options for choosing a teacher degree program. We recommend you: Request information from one or more of these schools

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Illinois

Augustana College-Rock Island
639 38th St
Rock Island, IL 61201-2296
(309) 794-7000
www.augustana.edu

Aurora University
347 S Gladstone Ave
Aurora, IL 60506-4892
(630) 892-6431
www.aurora.edu

Blackburn College
700 College Ave
Carlinville, IL 62626
(217) 854-3231

Bradley University
1501 W Bradley Ave
Peoria, IL 61625-0001
(309) 676-7611
www.bradley.edu

Chicago State University
9501 S. King Dr
Chicago, IL 60628-1598
(773) 995-2000
www.csu.edu

College of Lake County*
19351 W Washington St
Grayslake, IL 60030-1198
(847) 543-2000
www.clcillinois.edu

Columbia College Chicago
600 South Michigan
Chicago, IL 60605-1996
(312) 663-1600
www.colum.edu

Student Review: “I generally like going to Columbia College Chicago. I feel that it really is a place where young adults are allowed to be as creative as they want, and pursue any dreams they may have. Its location is always great for me, as a complete “city girl.” The Columbia College Chicago campus spans several blocks in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood, but it’s less like a campus and more like collection buildings scattered throughout the area. I really like that because I feel it gives you more of a sense of independence than going to school on an actual campus would. Most of the professors are still working in their field, so you’re getting an education from someone who is doing exactly what you hope to be doing, not just any random person with a degree in your field but no actual experience. The only downside is the office people can be a little unorganized and occasionally lose documents you have sent in, which is very inconvenient.” -Katelyn N., student at Columbia College Chicago

Concordia University-River Forest
7400 Augusta
River Forest, IL 60305-1499
(708) 771-8300
www.cuchicago.edu

Danville Area Community College*
2000 E Main St
Danville, IL 61832-5118
(217) 443-3222
www.dacc.edu

DePaul University
55 E Jackson
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 362-8000

Dominican University
7900 W Division St
River Forest, IL 60305
(708) 366-2490
www.dom.edu

Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Ave
Charleston, IL 61920
(217) 581-5000
www.eiu.edu

Student Review: “Eastern Illinois University’s secondary education department prepared me for life as a teacher. The professors were very knowledgeable, and always had an open-door policy. I still hear from several of my teachers today, asking me how my job is going. The program featured several different types of practicum experience, and all of my teachers had had experience at the K-12 levels, before moving on to teach college. The methods classes were excellent, providing many new ways to look at teaching the material. There were plenty of hands-on experiences in working with children of different ages, and many professors were willing to be references for me when I started looking for work. It was on the recommendation of a professor that I got my first teaching job.” -Student at Eastern Illinois University

Elmhurst College
190 Prospect Ave
Elmhurst, IL 60126-3096
(630) 617-3500
www.public.elmhurst.edu

Eureka College
300 E. College Ave.
Eureka, IL 61530
(309) 467-3721

Governors State University
1 University Pky
University Park, IL 60466-0975
(708) 534-5000
www.govst.edu

Greenville College
315 E College Ave
Greenville, IL 62246-0159
(618) 664-2800
www.greenville.edu

Harold Washington College*
30 E Lake St
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 553-5600
www.ccc.edu

Student Review: “My experience at Harold Washington was often fantastic. Many of the professors prepared me for my time in the classroom by building their courses around projects that prepared me to think creatively while working with children. Because these professors all had many years of experience teaching young children, they provided countless anecdotes and were able to answer questions from experience and could provide specific input when I came to them with questions that I encountered in the field. There were a few professors whose courses reminded me too much of high school, where busywork was assigned and valuable class time was spent reading the book silently and answering questions from the end of each chapter. That’s the kind of thing students can do at home. In a college class, I prefer to gain knowledge directly from my professor and classmates. Thankfully, that was my experience for the most part, and the professors who assigned busywork or were unorganized were the minority.” -Student at Harold Washington College

Hebrew Theological College
7135 N Carpenter Rd
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 982-2500

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges – Olney Central College*
305 N West St
Olney, IL 62450
(618) 393-2982

Illinois Institute of Technology
3300 S Federal St
Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 567-3000
www.iit.edu

Illinois State University
North and School Streets
Normal, IL 61790-1000
(309) 438-2111
https://illinoisstate.edu

Student Review: “At Illinois State University, their teaching program has a long history of preparing excellent teachers that both are progressive in their lessons and challengers of the system. The curriculum put in place by my university demonstrates the support many pre-service teachers need before moving onto having their own classrooms. Workshops, late office hours, and a library floor dedicated to education majors echoes the university’s motto “We gladly teach and learn.” Yet reaching beyond the walls of our university, laboratory schools have been built on site for education majors to observe their respective grades to understand the needs and demands of students. One aspect of this is the Professional Development Schools program (PDS) where hardworking student teachers will have the experience to grow in a year-long student teaching internship to learn quickly and effectively the current trends in the education world.” -Candice H., student at Illinois State University

Illinois Wesleyan University
1312 N Park St
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900
(309) 556-1000
www2.iwu.edu

Joliet Junior College*
1215 Houbolt Rd
Joliet, IL 60431-8938
(815) 729-9020
www.jjc.edu

Judson University
1151 N State St
Elgin, IL 60123-1498
(847) 628-2500

Kankakee Community College*
100 College Dr
Kankakee, IL 60901
(815) 802-8500
www.kcc.edu

Lake Land College*
5001 Lake Land Blvd
Mattoon, IL 61938
(217) 234-5253

Lewis University
One University Parkway
Romeoville, IL 60446-2200
(815) 838-0500
www.lewisu.edu

Loyola University Chicago
820 N Michigan
Chicago, IL 60611-9810
(312) 915-6000
www.luc.edu

MacMurray College
447 E College Ave
Jacksonville, IL 62650-2590
(217) 479-7000
www.mac.edu

McKendree University
701 College Rd
Lebanon, IL 62254-1291
(618) 537-4481
www.mckendree.edu

Millikin University
1184 W Main St
Decatur, IL 62522-2084
(217) 424-6211
www.millikin.edu

Student Review: “Millikin University has an amazing music education program! The faculty is great and you get a well-rounded education in both education and music fundamentals. I loved the small classroom sizes and the availability of the professors. They are so willing to give you one-on-one time that if you put the effort in, I guarantee you can excel in this program. I also loved the hands-on experience that the program gave me. I got to observe teachers in the classroom during the first semester I was there, and I had the opportunity to teach weekly by my sophomore year. We also had frequent meetings to keep us up-to-date on state requirements for teachers. I feel that Millikin University does a wonderful job preparing its future choir teachers!” -Student at Millikin University

Moraine Valley Community College*
9000 W College Parkway
Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
(708) 974-4300
www.morainevalley.edu

National-Louis University
122 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60603
(800) 443-5522
www.nl.edu

North Central College
30 N Brainard St
Naperville, IL 60540
(630) 637-5100
https://www.northcentralcollege.edu/

Student Review: “Studying Education at North Central College was an experience for me. It was my minor and Chemistry was my Major, so on top of class, I had a lot of lab hours and observational hours at schools observing kids. It was very difficult to manage the two programs. Now that I graduated, I wish I had Education as my major instead of Chemistry because I much rather work with special ed kids. I felt that Education 100 was kind of boring to take and it made me question if I wanted to stick with Education. I’m glad I did, the further I got in the program, I was enjoying it more. My favorite course was Education 475. I had the best professor and learned so much by just reading simple books and writing papers. The teacher I had made me laugh, and interested in the material. The class was called philosophy of education.” – Student at North Central College

North Park University
3225 W Foster Ave
Chicago, IL 60625-4895
(773) 244-6200
www.northpark.edu

Student Review: “While there were many benefits to my school’s education program there were a few great downfalls. I thought all of the teachers were great and that it was wonderful that many of them had in-classroom experience, many were even currently teachers. While current teachers are great to have sometimes they aren’t quite as focused on teaching you as they are worried about their own personal classrooms and therefore weren’t of the greatest benefit to me. Another issue that I had with the school was the lack of communication. I’m 90% sure my advisor still doesn’t know who I am and I am supposed to be graduating in December. For a small school, our education program needs to do much more work to better prepare their students.” -Amanda C., student at North Park University

Northeastern Illinois University
5500 N Saint Louis Ave
Chicago, IL 60625-4699
(773) 583-4050
www.neiu.edu

Northern Illinois University
1425 W Lincoln Hwy
Dekalb, IL 60115-2825
(800) 892-3050
https://www.niu.edu/index.shtml

Student Review: “The program at Northern Illinois University for training students in the area of visual impairment and blindness is one of the best available in the United States. The emphasis on technology, specifically assistive devices and/or software designed to assist people who have visual impairments, advanced braille studies focusing on adaptation in the area of math and science, in-depth study of the American Vocational Rehabilitation system, and detailed studies in orientation and mobility covering everything from human guide techniques, to advanced cane travel. The professors are practitioners in the field, bringing real-world experience to the classroom. Many of them are published and respected by organizations such as the NFB, ACB, and AER, as well as being accredited by the ACVREP. A student looking to become a teacher of people with visual impairments would be hard-pressed to find a more detailed and well-rounded program.” -Dale S., student at Illinois State University

Student Review: “At Illinois State University I am able to do exactly what I thought college was going to be for me. It is far enough from home where I can live on my own but also close enough where if I need to go home for something I can. What I like most about the university is all of the hands-on experience I can get with my major. I have also met some very good friends here everyone is friendly and gets along well. The one thing that I feel like could be improved for the university is the online system that teachers use to communicate with students. Sometimes it doesn’t accept homework and will crash during quizzes.” -Zack H., student at Illinois State University

Northwestern University
633 Clark St
Evanston, IL 60208
(312) 491-3741
https://www.northwestern.edu/

Student Review: “Northwestern is great for the people who want to be there. It’s a very pre-professional school; people attend specifically to be an actor, to be a musician, to be a journalist, to be an engineer, etc. This is a generalization, but it summarized the overall student atmosphere, people split into groups of their friends and classmates, and stay that way largely towards graduation. Aside from that, the school embraces the excitement of the quarter system, a vibrant and diverse social life; Greek life is big, but so are communities based in residence halls, apartment parties, off-campus restaurant/bar nights, and rigorous academics. Not to mention, the campus on Lake Michigan is simply gorgeous (though there is a lack of central hangout space on school grounds).” -Lukas W., student at Northwestern University

Olivet Nazarene University
One University Ave
Bourbonnais, IL 60914-2271
(815) 939-5011
https://www.olivet.edu/

Student Review: “I had a great experience at Olivet Nazarene University. I think that the education program greatly prepared me to become a teacher. All the professors in the school of education truly cared for their students and wanted them to succeed. They were always there if you had a question or needed help. They also were very qualified teachers that brought real-world experience to the classroom. The classes themselves prepared me to be an effective teacher through the field experience hours and the content during lecture. I loved the fact I was able to gain experience teaching all grade levels and subjects. The only thing I would improve would be the ESL minor. I would have loved more experience teaching in the class with students with the minor.” -Natasha F., student at Olivet Nazarene University

Parkland College
2400 W Bradley Ave
Champaign, IL 61821-1899
(217) 351-2200
www.parkland.edu

Prairie State College*
202 South Halsted St
Chicago Heights, IL 60411-8226
(708) 709-3500
www.prairiestate.edu

Quincy University
1800 College Ave
Quincy, IL 62301-2699
(217) 228-5432
www.quincy.edu

Rend Lake College*
468 N Ken Gray Pkwy
Ina, IL 62846
(618) 437-5321

Richland Community College*
One College Pk
Decatur, IL 62521-8512
(217) 875-7200

Rock Valley College*
3301 N Mulford Rd
Rockford, IL 61114-5699
(815) 921-7821

Rockford University
5050 E State St
Rockford, IL 61108-2393
(815) 226-4000
www.rockford.edu

Roosevelt University
430 S Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605-1394
(312) 341-3500
https://www.roosevelt.edu/

Student Review: “The educator preparation program at Roosevelt University Chicago was an exceptional learning opportunity for me. The classes were both informative and challenging. The program’s professors were from a diverse group of experts in the field of education, and that made the experience even greater. I was able to learn from teachers, policymakers, educational board members, and educational administrators. However, the greatest opportunity provided by the program was the chance to teach within the Chicago Public School system while enrolled at Roosevelt. As much as I truly appreciated my experiences through this program, I did feel that online opportunities were not as prevalent as they could have been. An online platform allows for additional discussion, but I only had that option in two of my courses. Overall, the program was excellent.” – Student at Roosevelt University

Saint Xavier University
3700 W 103rd St
Chicago, IL 60655
(773) 298-3000
www.sxu.edu

School of the Art Institute of Chicago
36 S Wabash
Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 629-6100

South Suburban College*
15800 South State St
South Holland, IL 60473-1200
(708) 596-2000

Southeastern Illinois College
3575 College Road
Harrisburg, IL 62946
(618) 252-5400
www.sic.edu

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL 62901-4512
(618) 453-2121
www.siu.edu

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Il State Rte 157
Edwardsville, IL 62026-1001
(618) 650-2000
www.siue.edu

Southwestern Illinois College
2500 Carlyle Ave
Belleville, IL 62221-5899
(618) 235-2700
www.swic.edu

Trinity Christian College
6601 W College Dr
Palos Heights, IL 60463-0929
(708) 597-3000
www.trnty.edu

Trinity International University-Deerfield
2065 Half Day Rd
Deerfield, IL 60015-1283
(847) 945-8800

Triton College*
2000 5th Ave
River Grove, IL 60171-1995
(708) 456-0300
www.triton.edu

University of Illinois at Chicago
601 S Morgan
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 996-7000
http://www.uic.edu/

Student Review: “The University of Illinois at Chicago was a wonderful school to attend. It is right in the heart of Chicago. It is a big school and makes a city kid feel like they were at home. Surrounded by many skyscrapers, and even had the Sears tower within a 20-minute walking distance. UIC has a friendly atmosphere, with lots of kind people. One great thing about the school is the affordability. UIC is much cheaper than any other schools in the area. It was about 1/3 the price of other Universities in Chicago. The professors are very helpful and try the best to accommodate you. One bad thing about UIC though is since the city is very populated, commuting to school takes some time, especially during rush hour.” -John D., student at University of Illinois at Chicago

Student Review: “The University of Illinois at Chicago was a decent school for undergraduate education. Being from the Chicago area, I wanted to stick around and witness big city life first hand, which is a great feature of UIC, right on the outskirts of downtown and near a few developing, hip neighborhoods. The academic program was good for the price (~ $10,000 per year) though there certainly were areas where it was lacking. The University’s infrastructure was crumbling (voted ugliest campus in the USA) and the administration was sketchy and clearly embroiled in some kind of dirt. Probably a better choice for students from the Chicago-land area who cannot afford a better school or who are struggling academically to matriculate to a more rigorous institution.” -Jake N., student at University of Illinois at Chicago

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
601 E John St
Champaign, IL 61820-5711
(217) 333-1000
https://illinois.edu/

Student Review: “Deciding to go to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana is probably the best decision I have ever made. There is something truly special about going to a Big Ten University and being on a campus with almost 40,000 students. There are endless possibilities to get involved in clubs and meet friends. One of my favorite things about U of I is the quad and watching it fill with students after classes on a nice sunny day. It is no secret the U of I is known for its Engineering and Business programs, however, the list of majors seems to go on and on. U of I truly has something to offer for everyone whether you are into sports, greek life, music, arts, or just hanging out with friends.” -Monica B., student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Student Review: “The University of Illinois was an extremely overpriced education for the quality of professors, classes, and preparation for my career field that I received. Since there was little choice in which classes to take, it would make sense for the teachers of those classes to converse with each other about how to make the best curriculum throughout the four-year program. Other things that are covered by the Illinois certification that I now hold were not even taught at all in my mandatory course track. The administration was hardly supportive of the program and made a lot of decisions that ended up losing much publicity and campus community outreach, a decision that resulted in the loss of more than 120 people participating in the choral program. There were some good things about the university that made it worthwhile. The campus sponsored events, such as multicultural education and residence hall activities, were extremely beneficial to my student life. The vast amount of registered student organizations also gave me a lot of new experiences and opportunity to try different things and meet new people.” -John L., student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Student Review: “I really enjoyed the Early Childhood Education program. It provided hands on experience involving working directly with children as well as helpful courses on child development. The faculty are friendly and always willing to help. The curriculum was challenging but fun. Of course, my favorite part of the program is working with children. It’s always been my goal to be either a preschool or kindergarten teacher, so I enjoyed what this program offered me. The one problem I have is that sometimes the modules we had to use online did not work. This made doing homework and studying a lot more difficult.” -Student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of St. Francis
500 N Wilcox St
Joliet, IL 60435-6188
(815) 740-3360

VanderCook College of Music
3140 S Federal St
Chicago, IL 60616-3731
(312) 225-6288

Western Illinois University
1 University Cir
Macomb, IL 61455
(309) 295-1414
http://www.wiu.edu/

Student Review: “I think the teacher prep program at WIU has done a very good job of preparing me to become a teacher. My professors all had experience teaching in public schools and cared about the subjects they taught. In the broader realm of education, we covered both the psychology of education and the social and cultural aspects. Specifically, in music education, we were pushed to consider how we were preparing students to be lifelong learners and not just regurgitate information. There was also a large focus on using standards and benchmarks in a positive way, and incorporating them into effective education instead of forcing them on students.” -Student at Western Illinois University

Wheaton College
501 College Ave
Wheaton, IL 60187-5593
(630) 752-5000
www.wheaton.edu

Student Review: “I had an excellent experience at Wheaton College. From the education program’s intentionality at providing a bonded group experience to the professors’ availability to mentor and lead students personally, I could not imagine wanting more from an educational standpoint. The useful and challenging curriculum was not only transferred to students but was also interacted with by students. Educators in the program made an effort to create classroom dialogue that allowed students to engage with and actually practice class subject matter. I enjoyed learning with professors and fellow students in a dynamic way. The only improvement that could have been made was the extended length of some mandatory classes, which were difficult to tune into for such long periods of time.” -Student at Wheaton College-Wheaton

An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/
3. 2018 US News Best Graduate Education Schools: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
4. 2018 US News Best Online Graduate Education Schools: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
5. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
6. National Council on Teacher Quality 2014-2016 Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
7. US Department of Education 2019 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx