Best colleges for Business/Commerce in Illinois
Ranked by graduate earnings
Lake Forest College, Saint Xavier University and Rend Lake College award the most Business/Commerce degrees in Illinois: 74, 54 and 52 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 17 Illinois colleges offer Business/Commerce and award 2,030 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business/Commerce program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of business management, marketing, and related services. This program is ideal for those interested in pursuing a career in…
Top 4 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 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,283 | 74 | 78% | $25,052 | $27,000 |
| 2 | Saint Xavier University Chicago Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,190 | 54 | 57% | $12,935 | $26,845 |
| 3 | Trinity International University - Illinois Deerfield Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $47,463 | 6 | 46% | $20,539 | $23,180 |
| 4 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,015 | 22 | 22% | — | $17,788 |
Top certificate or associate program
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 | DeVry University - Illinois Lisle Private for-profit · Associate degree Online | $43,716 | 1,655 | 37% | $32,381 | $30,444 |
Colleges awarding the most Business/Commerce 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 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest Private not-for-profit | 74 | $44,283 |
| 2 | Saint Xavier University Chicago Private not-for-profit | 54 | $44,190 |
| 3 | Rend Lake College Ina Public | 52 | Not reported |
| 4 | Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington Private not-for-profit | 43 | Not reported |
| 5 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills Public | 34 | Not reported |
| 6 | Kaskaskia College Centralia Public | 20 | Not reported |
| 7 | Richland Community College Decatur Public | 17 | Not reported |
| 8 | University of Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit | 13 | Not reported |
| 9 | Trinity Christian College Palos Heights Private not-for-profit | 12 | Not reported |
| 10 | Stautzenberger College - Rockford Career College Rockford Private for-profit | 12 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 7 Illinois colleges offering Business/Commerce
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeVry University - Illinois (Online) | Lisle | Private for-profit | 1,655 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago | Public | 22 |
| Trinity International University - Illinois | Deerfield | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Hebrew Theological College | Skokie | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | Public | 4 |
| University of St Francis | Joliet | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Rock Valley College | Rockford | Public | 3 |
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/Commerce programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Business/Commerce degrees?+
Lake Forest College (74 graduates a year), Saint Xavier University (54 graduates a year) and Rend Lake College (52 graduates a year) award the most Business/Commerce degrees in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 17 Illinois colleges offer Business/Commerce.
Which Business/Commerce program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Lake Forest College tops the list at $44,283. 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/Commerce program?+
The Business/Commerce program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of business management, marketing, and related services. This program is ideal for those interested in pursuing a career in…
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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