Author
Blake Wood
Publish Date

The University of Illinois Springfield has been ranked the top public regional university in Illinois for a fifth consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report in 2024 Best Colleges rankings released today. UIS was also ranked the sixth-best public regional university in the Midwest regional category.

“We take pride in our consistent recognition as one of the nation's top public universities,” said UIS Chancellor Janet L. Gooch. “This underscores our unwavering dedication to student achievement and reaffirms UIS as a top choice for students seeking a high-quality education, whether they opt for online courses or choose to study on campus, supported by exceptional faculty and staff.”

According to U.S. News & World Report, some of the factors it looked at in determining UIS’ overall ranking include graduation and retention rates, faculty resources (such as class size and faculty salary), academic reputation, financial resources available to students, how well students performed academically in high school, alumni giving and graduate indebtedness.

UIS was also ranked highly by U.S. News in the following categories:

  • Best Value Schools: UIS was ranked the 11th best-value school in the Midwest regional category. The ranking is based on academic quality, the number of need-based aid and scholarships awarded and other factors.
  • Best Colleges for Veterans: UIS was ranked the 10th best college for veterans in the Midwest regional category. Colleges in this category must be certified for the GI Bill, participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program or be a public institution.
  • Top Performers on Social Mobility: UIS was ranked 43 out of 164 institutions in the Midwest regional category for giving students from diverse social and economic backgrounds the ability to earn a higher education through the use of Pell Grants.

Since 2006, UIS has been ranked consistently among the top 15 best public regional universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. The full report and additional data can be found on the U.S. News website.

UIS is a public regional university that is a part of the world-class University of Illinois System. UIS provides a uniquely student-centered educational experience both in and out of the classroom through active learning, meaningful research and impactful civic engagement that prepares graduates to contribute fully to society.