AU named a top 10 college in Illinois

Aurora University is achieving top marks in education.

The university earned the #10 spot in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges in Illinois rankings, joining Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and others for the second consecutive year. AU’s placement among Illinois’s top 10 reflects strong performance in the areas that matter most to students and families: academic quality, student support, and long-term success after graduation.

In addition to maintaining its placement among Illinois’s top 10, AU improved its national distinction as a Top Performer on Social Mobility, leaping 34 places to #22. AU is especially proud to be among the top 5% performers on social mobility nationwide, a recognition of the university’s impact in helping students from diverse backgrounds achieve their goals. This reflects AU’s longstanding mission to welcome new populations of learners and create an inclusive, supportive learning environment where every student can thrive.

The U.S. News & World Report’s rankings are among the most widely recognized in higher education. For more than four decades, the Best Colleges rankings have guided millions of students and families in their college search. The 2026 rankings evaluated more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities, using up to 17 factors to measure academic quality and graduate success.

This article was originally published on September 10, 2025, and was updated reflect the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, which were released on September 23, 2025.