University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is steadily building its reputation as a stellar research institution. It has been recognized for its high research spending, and its experts have recently made headlines for studying everything from coral to irritable bowel syndrome. The school offers more than 150 majors, including bioengineering, community health, media and cinema studies, and special education. Students also have access to the country's second largest university library system. (Only Harvard's is larger.) All that knowledge doesn't stamp out some old-fashioned superstition, though. As per campus tradition, generations of students have rubbed the nose on a campus bust of Abraham Lincoln for good luck before exams, and people who kiss at the Eternal Flame landmark are said to enjoy eternal bliss. The University of Illinois's flagship campus has a graduation rate of 84%, which is 7% higher than schools with similar demographics. Fighting Illini alumni tend to do well in the job market, reporting earnings of about $61,200 in their first years out of college, according to PayScale data. Illinois was one of the first universities to make its campus more accessible to students with physical disabilities more than 70 years ago. The university has also garnered notice in recent years for its large number of international students, especially from Asia. Next time you're on campus, make sure to check out a performance by the Marching Illini, which composer John Philip Sousa once declared "the world's greatest college band."