2026 Best Linguistics Schools in Illinois
Linguistics degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for linguistics students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Linguistics in Illinois
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the linguistics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Linguistics
Our analysis ranked University Of Chicago the best school in the country for a degree in linguistics. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. About 20 linguistics degrees were awarded at University Of Chicago in the most recent year. Linguistics graduates of University Of Chicago earn a median of $81,002 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $15,854 to complete this degree.
Get the full linguistics details for University Of Chicago
A rank of #2 makes Benedictine University one of the top schools for linguistics. Located in the suburb of Lisle, Benedictine University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 50%. There were roughly 25 linguistics students who graduated with this degree at Benedictine University in the most recent data year. Linguistics graduates of Benedictine University earn a median of $54,212 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,338 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in linguistics from Benedictine University
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best linguistics schools. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign graduates 85% of students within six years. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign awarded about 34 linguistics degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their linguistics degree from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn around $25,921 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $19,500.
Get the full linguistics details for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 7 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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