U.S. News rates UIC among national leaders in social mobility

The University of Illinois Chicago continues to be considered a national leader in promoting student social mobility and expanding access to higher education, according to the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.

UIC climbed to a tie for 9th nationally among top-performing public universities in social mobility. It is the top-ranked Illinois university in the group. This category measures the top-performing schools that enrolled and graduated students who received federal Pell grants, given to students whose total family incomes are less than $50,000 annually. 

In the overall rankings, UIC placed 42nd among public national universities and tied for 84th among the top 100 universities nationwide, affirming the university's reputation for academic excellence and inclusive opportunity.

"It is deeply gratifying to see UIC nationally recognized for our strong commitment to social mobility while delivering world-class academic programs," said UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda. "Our goal is to equip students with degrees that ultimately allow them to compete globally and lead meaningful lives."

UIC surged in the 2026 rankings for bachelor of science in nursing programs, where it jumped seven places to tie for 6th in the country and ranked No. 1 in Illinois.

Other UIC undergraduate programs earning top-100 designations nationally are psychology, computer science, engineering, economics and business. UIC tied for 53rd in the best colleges for veterans category.

Like U.S. News, Washington Monthly's 2025 College Rankings, released in August, placed UIC in multiple top spots, recognizing the university's affordability, accessibility, student success and research excellence. The noteworthy rankings for UIC included being named as one of 25 "best-in-class" colleges, No. 1 best bang for the buck in the Midwestand No. 40 of the best colleges for your tuition and tax dollars. 

UIC's latest enrollment numbers indicate its quality and value resonate with prospective students and families.

This month, UIC announced its largest-ever total enrollment of 35,869 students for fall 2025, an increase of almost 6% from fall 2024. The university also welcomed its largest first-year class in its history.

The first cohort of UIC Aspire grant recipients numbers more than 3,500 students. The program covers the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for new UIC students who are Illinois residents and have a family income or assets of $75,000 or less. 

Contact

Brian Flood 312-996-7681 [email protected] twitter.com/bflooduic