English Language and Literature colleges in Illinois, ranked by graduates
23 colleges in Illinois awarded at least 10 bachelor's degrees in English language and literature in 2023: 738 degrees, 1.9% of all bachelor's degrees at those colleges (1.6% across every college CollegeCalcAI tracks). University of Illinois graduated the most (112, 1.3% of its class). 9 of the 23 are public universities. The median acceptance rate among them is 74%; the most selective is University of Chicago at 4%.
English Language and Literature colleges in Illinois
Every Illinois college awarding at least 10 bachelor's degrees in English language and literature, ranked by 2023 graduates. Click a college for its English language and literature page.
| # | College | Type | Degrees (2023) | Share of grads | Acceptance rate | SAT 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois | Public | 112 | 1.3% | 42% | 1480 |
| 2 | Illinois State University | Public | 95 | 2.1% | 88% | 1220 |
| 3 | University of Chicago | Private | 60 | 3.1% | 4% | 1570 |
| 4 | Loyola University Chicago | Private | 57 | 2.3% | 82% | 1330 |
| 5 | DePaul University | Private | 54 | 1.8% | 76% | 1280 |
| 6 | Northern Illinois University | Public | 47 | 1.9% | 70% | 1180 |
| 7 | Wheaton College (IL) | Private | 38 | 7.3% | 87% | 1230 |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Public | 36 | 1.8% | 98% | 1180 |
| 9 | Elmhurst University | Private | 27 | 3.6% | 74% | 1230 |
| 10 | Eastern Illinois University | Public | 24 | 2.2% | 65% | 1080 |
| 11 | Northwestern University | Private | 22 | 1% | 8% | 1560 |
| 12 | Knox College | Private | 20 | 8.9% | 71% | 1280 |
| 13 | Lake Forest College | Private | 19 | 4.6% | 57% | 1270 |
| 14 | Bradley University | Private | 18 | 2% | 77% | 1260 |
| 15 | Illinois Springfield | Public | 17 | 2.8% | 86% | 1120 |
| 16 | Augustana College | Private | 14 | 3% | 63% | 1280 |
| 17 | Governors State University | Public | 13 | 2.3% | 48% | 1100 |
| 18 | Southern Illinois University | Public | 11 | 0.6% | 87% | 1150 |
| 19 | Aurora University | Private | 11 | 0.9% | 81% | 1230 |
| 20 | Illinois Wesleyan University | Private | 11 | 3.2% | 39% | 1300 |
| 21 | North Central College | Private | 11 | 2% | 77% | 1250 |
| 22 | Saint Xavier University | Private | 11 | 1.6% | 84% | 1120 |
| 23 | Western Illinois University | Public | 10 | 0.9% | 71% | 1060 |
Questions about English language and literature colleges in Illinois
What is the best college for English language and literature in Illinois?
By bachelor's degrees awarded in 2023, the largest English language and literature programs in Illinois are University of Illinois (112), Illinois State University (95), University of Chicago (60). "Best" depends on your profile: this page ranks every Illinois college in the field by output and shows each one's acceptance rate and admitted SAT so you can match it to your own numbers.
How many colleges in Illinois offer English language and literature?
23 four-year colleges in Illinois awarded 10 or more bachelor's degrees in English language and literature in 2023, 9 public and 14 private, for 738 graduates in total.
Is in-state status an advantage for English language and literature in Illinois?
At the 9 public universities on this list, Illinois residents are usually admitted at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants and pay in-state tuition. CollegeCalcAI applies the residency effect when you set your home state, and the per-major adjustment when you set the major.
English Language and Literature elsewhere
The same field in other states, and the national ranking.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 Completions (bachelor's degrees, first majors, CIP 2-digit series), joined to CollegeCalcAI's admissions dataset. Built 2026-09-19. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are not predictions or guarantees.