Match #1
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate71%
- 4,410 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 49%, close to 53%
- Average net price $10,018, close to $7,528
The colleges most similar to University of Illinois at Springfield are Western Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. University of Illinois at Springfield admits 86% of applicants and has an average net price of $7,528 a year; 1 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 3 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with University of Illinois at Springfield. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to University of Illinois at Springfield
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL
Profile closeness78/100
Admit rate65%
- 4,188 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 50%, close to 53%
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #3
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL
Profile closeness70/100
Admit rate98%
- 8,750 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 56%, close to 53%
- Same control type (public)
Match #4
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
Profile closeness69/100
Admit rate87%
- 8,494 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 59%, close to 53%
- Acceptance rate 87%, close to 86%
Match #5
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago, IL
Profile closeness67/100
Admit rate75%
- 3,982 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Average net price $9,377, close to $7,528
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #6
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
Profile closeness60/100
Admit rate70%
- 11,301 students
- Public
- Suburb: Small
- Graduation rate 48%, close to 53%
- Same control type (public)
Match #7
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL
Profile closeness57/100
Admit rate77%
- 22,170 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Average net price $9,540, close to $7,528
- Acceptance rate 77%, close to 86%
Match #8
Governors State University
University Park, IL
Profile closeness56/100
Admit rate48%
- 2,556 students
- Public
- Rural: Fringe
- Enrollment 2,556 students, close to 2,263
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #9
Chicago State University
Chicago, IL
Profile closeness52/100
Admit rate43%
- 1,384 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Average net price $7,273, close to $7,528
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #10
Illinois State University
Normal, IL
Profile closeness49/100
Admit rate88%
- 19,057 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 88%, close to 86%
- Same control type (public)
Questions about University of Illinois at Springfield alternatives
What colleges are similar to University of Illinois at Springfield?
The closest matches to University of Illinois at Springfield are Western Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, and Northeastern Illinois University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is University of Illinois at Springfield hard to get into?
University of Illinois at Springfield admitted 86% of its 2,496 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 3 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which University of Illinois at Springfield alternatives cost less?
1 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than University of Illinois at Springfield ($7,528 a year), including Chicago State University ($7,273). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
