Best colleges for Business Administration in Illinois
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois Chicago and Loyola University Chicago are the top bachelor's Business Administration programs in Illinois by graduate earnings. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $68,442, College Scorecard. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DePaul University and University of Illinois Chicago award the most Business Administration degrees in Illinois: 1,655, 455 and 409 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 88 Illinois colleges offer Business Administration and award 10,531 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public · Bachelor's degree | $68,442 | 1,655 | 85% | — | $19,175 |
| 2 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,781 | 409 | 62% | — | $20,832 |
| 3 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $64,513 | 229 | 73% | $33,454 | $25,000 |
| 4 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale Public · Bachelor's degree | $55,633 | 55 | 62% | — | $27,500 |
| 5 | Lewis University Romeoville Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $53,793 | 191 | 67% | $17,632 | $26,000 |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,724 | 222 | 49% | — | $22,500 |
| 7 | Bradley University Peoria Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $51,347 | 57 | 76% | $21,768 | $25,586 |
| 8 | Rockford University Rockford Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $51,314 | 57 | 47% | $23,077 | $24,000 |
| 9 | Illinois State University Normal Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,647 | 211 | 65% | — | $17,500 |
| 10 | Augustana College Rock Island Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,210 | 24 | 73% | $14,960 | $27,000 |
Top 5 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine Public · Associate degree | $59,982 | 106 | 48% | — | — |
| 2 | College of DuPage Glen Ellyn Public · Associate degree | $46,497 | 60 | 25% | — | $14,499 |
| 3 | Joliet Junior College Joliet Public · Associate degree | $39,887 | 226 | 21% | — | — |
| 4 | Stautzenberger College - Rockford Career College Rockford Private for-profit · Certificate Small program | $28,501 | 10 | 66% | $20,078 | $16,563 |
| 5 | Generations College Chicago Private not-for-profit · Associate degree Online | $17,776 | 21 | 11% | $20,789 | $30,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Business Administration degrees in Illinois
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public | 1,655 | $68,442 |
| 2 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit | 455 | $48,920 |
| 3 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Public | 409 | $65,781 |
| 4 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville Public | 328 | $43,753 |
| 5 | University of Illinois Springfield Springfield Public | 293 | $44,236 |
| 6 | Benedictine University Lisle Private not-for-profit | 275 | $49,611 |
| 7 | Aurora University Aurora Private not-for-profit | 272 | $48,843 |
| 8 | National Louis University Chicago Private not-for-profit | 263 | $45,096 |
| 9 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago Private not-for-profit | 239 | $42,992 |
| 10 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit | 229 | $64,513 |
ShowHide the other 78 Illinois colleges offering Business Administration
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business Administration programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Business Administration degrees?+
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (1,655 graduates a year), DePaul University (455 graduates a year) and University of Illinois Chicago (409 graduates a year) award the most Business Administration degrees in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 88 Illinois colleges offer Business Administration.
What is the best college for Business Administration in Illinois?+
By graduate earnings, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads among bachelor's Business Administration programs in Illinois, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $68,442, College Scorecard. University of Illinois Chicago and Loyola University Chicago follow. By degrees awarded, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is the largest, with 1,655 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business Administration program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tops the list at $68,442. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in Illinois is $135,540 (median $103,570), across about 171,300 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business Administration program?+
The Business Administration program, officially titled Business Administration, Management and Operations, equips students with essential skills for managing and leading organizations. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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