Best colleges for Engineering in Illinois
Ranked by graduate earnings
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College, William Rainey Harper College and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign award the most Engineering degrees and certificates in Illinois: 100, 90 and 51 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 40 Illinois colleges offer Engineering and award 626 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Engineering program, formally known as Engineering, General, encompasses a broad range of disciplines that apply scientific theories and mathematical methods to develop technological solutions. This program is ideal for students…
Top 2 institutions, 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 | Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $66,394 | 32 | 61% | $20,903 | $27,000 |
| 2 | Western Illinois University Macomb Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $66,112 | 1 | 45% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Engineering 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 | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College Chicago Public | 100 | Not reported |
| 2 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine Public | 90 | Not reported |
| 3 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign Public | 51 | Not reported |
| 4 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills Public | 39 | Not reported |
| 5 | Elgin Community College Elgin Public | 37 | Not reported |
| 6 | Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais Private not-for-profit | 32 | $66,394 |
| 7 | Illinois Central College East Peoria Public | 26 | Not reported |
| 8 | College of Lake County Grayslake Public | 25 | Not reported |
| 9 | McHenry County College Crystal Lake Public | 18 | Not reported |
| 10 | Rock Valley College Rockford Public | 18 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 30 Illinois colleges offering Engineering
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199).
What Engineers, All Other earn in Illinois
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Engineering programs in Illinois.
Which Illinois colleges award the most Engineering degrees?+
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College (100 graduates a year), William Rainey Harper College (90 graduates a year) and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (51 graduates a year) award the most Engineering degrees and certificates in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 40 Illinois colleges offer Engineering.
Which Engineering program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Olivet Nazarene University tops the list at $66,394. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Engineers, All Other earn in Illinois?+
The average annual wage for Engineers, All Other in Illinois is $112,600 (median $111,930), across about 2,520 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Engineering program?+
The Engineering program, formally known as Engineering, General, encompasses a broad range of disciplines that apply scientific theories and mathematical methods to develop technological solutions. This program is ideal for students…
What is the job outlook for Engineers, All Other?+
The national job outlook is about +2.1% growth with around 9,300 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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