With more than 22,000 undergraduate students, this public research institution has quite the presence in the Windy City. The University of Illinois Chicago has a graduation rate that's about 10% higher than predicted, according to Money’s analysis. It also boasts a relatively diverse student body, with significant white, Hispanic and Asian populations, as well as 60-plus languages spoken on its 240-acre campus.
When they're not cramming for the popular business, biology or psychology classes in one of UIC's 16 academic colleges, students can explore all that downtown Chicago has to offer or join one of the school's hundreds of student organizations, including a competitive gaming club, investment banking association and a group that picks up litter.
On-campus housing is available, but most students live off campus. Commuters can take advantage of the Commuter Student Resource Center, which has not only a lounge area and a kitchen but also lockers and study rooms. For fun, students can check out the campus’s 43-foot rock-climbing wall, attend a free comedy show, listen to UIC Radio or catch a Flames game. Every fall, students flock to Spark, a free concert that in recent years has featured performers like Lil Tecca and Nick Jonas.
