2026 Best General Social Sciences Schools in Illinois

General Social Sciences programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best general social sciences schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best General Social Sciences Schools in Illinois

Best Schools for General Social Sciences 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 general social sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in General Social Sciences

1

University Of Chicago
Chicago, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

198 General Social Sciences Degrees Awarded

$53,788 Median Starting Salary

No school ranked higher than University Of Chicago this year for general social sciences. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 96% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 198 general social sciences degrees were awarded at University Of Chicago in the most recent year. General Social Sciences graduates of University Of Chicago earn a median of $53,788 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $15,854. More information about a degree in general social sciences from University Of Chicago

2

North Central College
Naperville, IL

16 General Social Sciences Degrees Awarded

$46,247 Median Starting Salary

North Central College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best general social sciences schools. Located in the city of Naperville, North Central College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Roughly 64% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 16 general social sciences students who graduated with this degree at North Central College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general social sciences degree from North Central College earn around $46,247 in the first couple years of their career. North Central College graduates carry a median of $25,699 in student loans. Read more about the general social sciences program at North Central College

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 · 12 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.