By state

Illinois colleges by SAT score

10 Illinois schools with published score bands, from the U.S. Department of Education — highest band first.

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In short

Among Illinois colleges in the federal dataset, University of Chicago has the highest enrolled-student SAT band at 1510–1580. The table below lists 10 Illinois schools' middle-50% SAT and ACT ranges, highest first — each links to a page on setting a target for that school. Every figure is the enrolled middle 50% from College Scorecard, retrieved 2026-09-01.

Illinois schools, by enrolled SAT band

Middle 50% of enrolled students (College Scorecard, 2026-09-01). A dash means the school reports no band for that test.
SchoolSAT (mid 50%)ACTUndergrads
University of Chicago1510–158034–358k
Northwestern University1510–157033–359k
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign1310–152030–3436k
Loyola University Chicago1170–136027–3212k
University of Illinois Chicago1130–135025–3122k
DePaul University1140–133025–3114k
Illinois State University990–121021–2719k
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville950–119020–279k
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale900–116018–258k
DeVry University-Illinois700–103011–1928k
How to read a middle 50%

A quarter of enrolled students scored below the band and a quarter above it. It describes who enrolled — not a cutoff, and not who was admitted.

Pick a school for the full picture — the section split, what the band means for a target, and where the figure comes from. Or browse every state.

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Frequently asked questions

Which Illinois college has the highest SAT scores?

In the federal dataset, University of Chicago — an enrolled middle 50% of 1510–1580. Bands describe enrolled students, not cutoffs.

What SAT score do I need for college in Illinois?

It spans the table above — from 700–1030 to 1510–1580 across 10 schools. Pick the schools you mean and aim at the upper half of their bands.

Where do these numbers come from?

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (IPEDS), retrieved 2026-09-01. Each school's own page links its federal profile.

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Sources