Best colleges for Data Science in Illinois
Ranked by graduates a year
DePaul University, Lewis University and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign award the most Data Science degrees and certificates in Illinois: 166, 149 and 136 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 10 Illinois colleges offer Data Science and award 610 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Data Science program is an interdisciplinary field that combines statistics, scientific computing, and coding to extract knowledge from various types of data. This program is designed for students interested in analyzing and…
10 institutions offering Data Science in Illinois
Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit | — | 166 | 68% | $28,141 | — |
| 2 | Lewis University Romeoville Private not-for-profit | — | 149 | 67% | $17,632 | — |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public | — | 136 | 85% | — | — |
| 4 | Bradley University Peoria Private not-for-profit | — | 70 | 76% | $21,768 | — |
| 5 | Northwestern University Evanston Private not-for-profit | — | 51 | 95% | $14,799 | — |
| 6 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit | — | 21 | 73% | $33,454 | — |
| 7 | Knox College Galesburg Private not-for-profit | — | 10 | 68% | $24,240 | — |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville Public | — | 4 | 57% | — | — |
| 9 | Augustana College Rock Island Private not-for-profit | — | 2 | 73% | $14,960 | — |
| 10 | Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais Private not-for-profit | — | 1 | 61% | $20,903 | — |
Colleges awarding the most Data Science degrees in Illinois
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). 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 | DePaul University Chicago Private not-for-profit | 166 | Not reported |
| 2 | Lewis University Romeoville Private not-for-profit | 149 | Not reported |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public | 136 | Not reported |
| 4 | Bradley University Peoria Private not-for-profit | 70 | Not reported |
| 5 | Northwestern University Evanston Private not-for-profit | 51 | Not reported |
| 6 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago Private not-for-profit | 21 | Not reported |
| 7 | Knox College Galesburg Private not-for-profit | 10 | Not reported |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville Public | 4 | Not reported |
| 9 | Augustana College Rock Island Private not-for-profit | 2 | Not reported |
| 10 | Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais Private not-for-profit | 1 | Not reported |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051).
What Data Scientists earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Data Science programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Data Science degrees?+
DePaul University (166 graduates a year), Lewis University (149 graduates a year) and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (136 graduates a year) award the most Data Science degrees and certificates in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 10 Illinois colleges offer Data Science.
How much do Data Scientists earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for Data Scientists in Illinois is $117,870 (median $106,560), across about 10,520 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Data Science program?+
The Data Science program is an interdisciplinary field that combines statistics, scientific computing, and coding to extract knowledge from various types of data. This program is designed for students interested in analyzing and…
What is the job outlook for Data Scientists?+
The national job outlook is about +33.5% growth with around 23,400 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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