This small Christian university offers students a tight-knit community: The undergrad enrollment is just under 800, and three-quarters of classes have fewer than 20 students.
Among Judson’s more than 60 academic programs, the architecture department is a standout. Judson alums’ pass rate on the Architect Registration Exam (ARE) consistently surpassed the national average over the past five years. In fact, architecture is the second-most popular bachelor’s degree on campus, behind only the universally popular business administration degree.
Judson’s price is already comparatively affordable as far as four-year private colleges go. But to make it more accessible, almost all students receive financial aid. The college reports that the average aid package totals $23,776 (that amount combines need-based and merit-based aid). The student body is relatively diverse, too. A third of students are Latino, 10% are Black, and 40% receive need-based federal Pell Grants.
Judson’s campus sits on the banks of the Fox River in Elgin, a city of about 110,000 people. If you’re craving even bigger big-city vibes, Chicago is about an hour drive or two-hour train ride away.
