Illinois is home to 9 accredited medical programs, with two (Northwestern Feinberg and UChicago Pritzker) consistently ranked among the top 20 in the country. The state spans a wide spectrum of selectivity, cost, and focus: from world-class private research institutions in Chicago to a public engineering-integrated program in Champaign and a downstate institution that admits Illinois residents only. Whether you are targeting the most competitive programs in the Midwest or need a strong, affordable pathway into medicine, there is an Illinois program for your profile. 🏥
The table below covers all 9 programs with current GPA, MCAT, tuition, and ranking data. For a national view of where Illinois's top programs compare, our guide to the best medical schools in the US covers the full national picture.
| Institution | City | Deg. | GPA | MCAT | Annual Tuition | US News | Class Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine | Chicago | MD | 3.93 | 520 | $73,369 | Tier 1 Research | 145 (28% in-state) |
| University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine | Chicago | MD | 3.90 | 521 | $62,610 | Previously #18 | 88 (17% in-state) |
| University of Illinois College of Medicine | Chicago | MD | 3.70 | 511 | $53,766 IS / $87,666 OOS | Tier 2 Research & PC | 291 (56% in-state) |
| Rush Medical College of Rush University | Chicago | MD | 3.67 | 509 | $46,222 | Tier 3 Research & PC | 141 (23% in-state) |
| Carle Illinois College of Medicine | Champaign | MD | 3.73 | 513 | $53,904 IS / $66,891 OOS | Unranked | 64 (14% in-state) |
| Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University | North Chicago | MD | 3.76 | 509 | $68,924 | Unranked | 201 (56% in-state) |
| Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine | Maywood | MD | 3.70 | 511 | $66,218 | Unranked | ~145 (31% in-state) |
| Southern Illinois University School of Medicine | Springfield | MD | 3.82 | 508 | $39,441 | Unranked | 80 (100% in-state) |
| Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine — Midwestern University | Downers Grove | DO | 3.65 | 508 | $83,903 | Unranked | 205 |
Top Medical Schools in Illinois
The nine programs below are profiled in order of selectivity and national standing. All nine lead to full medical licensure and NRMP residency match eligibility. What differs substantially is class size, mission, tuition, curriculum philosophy, and who each institution is best suited for.
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Research, competitive specialties
520
3.93
$73,369
65% of graduates match at a top-25 residency; every student completes a four-year scholarly concentration project.
Feinberg is the top-ranked program in Illinois, located in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood adjacent to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Every student completes a four-year scholarly concentration project, and 65% of graduates match at a top-25 residency nationally.
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Research, biomedical sciences
521
3.90
$62,610
Smallest MD class in Illinois at 88 students; strong MD-PhD program and community health clinics throughout Chicago.
Pritzker has Illinois's smallest MD class at 88 students and sits within the University of Chicago's multidisciplinary campus, with five community health clinics throughout Chicago. Its median MCAT of 521 is the highest of any Illinois program.
Both Feinberg and Pritzker recruit nationally. If you are weighing comparable elite urban programs in another major state, our guide to medical schools in New York covers Columbia, Weill Cornell, and NYU Grossman with the same data format.
University of Illinois College of Medicine
Primary care, rural medicine, urban health
511
3.70
$53,766
Largest program in the state; applicants apply to three campuses simultaneously through a single application.
UICOM is the state's largest program by enrollment, accepting 291 students annually across three campuses in Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford. Applicants submit a single application and are considered for all campuses simultaneously, with specialized tracks including Rural Medical Education, Urban Medicine, and Global Medicine.
Rush Medical College of Rush University
Community health, West Chicago service
509
3.67
$46,222
Lowest annual tuition among Illinois private MD programs; students rotate at Rush University Medical Center and Cook County Hospital.
Rush Medical College has the lowest tuition of any private MD program in Illinois at $46,222 annually, and its West Chicago location embeds students directly in the communities they serve. Clinical rotations include both Rush University Medical Center and John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, one of the country's largest public hospitals.
To provide the best care for the individuals and diverse communities we serve through education, research, and health care delivery with compassion, commitment, and innovation.
Rush Medical College Mission Statement
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
Engineering-integrated medicine, health innovation
513
3.73
$53,904
The world's first engineering-based MD program; requires upper-level math prerequisites including calculus and linear algebra.
Carle Illinois is the world's first engineering-based MD program, a joint initiative between the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Carle Health. Upper-level math prerequisites (including calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra) are required for consideration, making it unlike any other program in the state.
For applicants comparing innovative newer programs nationally, our guide to top medical schools in California covers Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine and other recent entrants in the California landscape.
Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University
Interprofessional education, veteran care
509
3.76
$68,924
Students train at clinical sites including a Federal Health Care Center for veterans; strong preference for Illinois residents.
Rosalind Franklin's Chicago Medical School in North Chicago has one of the larger class sizes in the state at 201 students and a strong preference for Illinois residents, who make up over 56% of each entering cohort. Clinical rotations include a Federal Health Care Center serving veterans alongside major urban academic centers.
Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine
Service, global health, faith-based mission
511
3.70
$66,218
Jesuit Catholic institution with a strong service mission; offers Global Health, Bioethics, and Research honors programs.
Stritch operates within Loyola University's Jesuit Catholic tradition, with a mission explicitly centered on service to underserved communities. Structured honors programs in Global Health, Bioethics, and Research provide graduation distinctions for students who complete longitudinal tracks.
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Primary care, rural downstate Illinois
508
3.82
$39,441
Accepts Illinois residents only; lowest tuition in the state; strong medical humanities curriculum.
SIU in Springfield is the most affordable program in Illinois at $39,441 annually and the only one that restricts admission to Illinois residents (the joint MD/JD track accepts out-of-state applicants). Its small 80-student class, medical humanities curriculum, and downstate primary care mission make it the most distinctive public option in the state.
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine — Midwestern University
Osteopathic medicine, primary care pipeline
508
3.65
$83,903
Illinois's only DO program; COMLEX board pass rates consistently above the national average.
CCOM in Downers Grove is Illinois's only accredited DO program and one of the larger osteopathic colleges nationally, training 205 students per class. Graduates compete in the same NRMP residency match as MD graduates, and COMLEX board pass rates consistently exceed the national average.
What to Know Before Applying to Illinois Medical Schools
Illinois programs differ significantly on residency preference, class size, curriculum philosophy, and what they look for in applicants. These are the factors that most affect your application strategy.
For a comparison with a similarly large state system, our guide to best medical schools in Texas covers how Texas's public and private programs compare on the same admissions factors.
Highly competitive (Feinberg, Pritzker): median MCAT 520–521, GPA 3.90–3.93. Among the most selective programs in the Midwest.
Mid-tier programs (UICOM, Carle, Loyola, Rosalind Franklin): MCAT 509–513, GPA 3.70–3.76. Strong applicants with research, clinical, or service experience.
Most accessible MD programs (Rush, SIU): MCAT 508–509, GPA 3.67–3.82. Note that SIU requires Illinois residency. Rush's lower thresholds reflect its community-service mission, not reduced rigor.
DO program (CCOM): MCAT 508, GPA 3.65. Most accessible thresholds in the state. Admits 205 students per class.
Interview formats vary: UChicago Pritzker and Chicago Medical School (Rosalind Franklin) use MMI. Feinberg, Rush, and others use traditional or hybrid panel formats. Prepare differently for MMI programs.
🏠Illinois Residency: Who Requires It, Who Prefers It
- Southern Illinois University: Illinois residents only. If you are not an Illinois resident, this program is not an option; except through the joint MD/JD track.
- University of Illinois College of Medicine: strong in-state preference; 56% of seats go to Illinois residents. Out-of-state tuition is $87,666 vs $53,766 in-state.
- Rosalind Franklin / Chicago Medical School: significant preference for in-state applicants (56% of class).
- Private programs (Feinberg, Pritzker, Rush, Loyola, Rosalind Franklin, CCOM): no formal residency requirement. These recruit nationally, though Feinberg and Pritzker remain among the most competitive programs regardless.
- Carle Illinois: as a public institution, gives preference to Illinois residents; in-state tuition is approximately $13,000 less per year than out-of-state.
Illinois has one DO program — CCOM at Midwestern University, admitting 205 students per class. It offers a competitive pathway for applicants whose MCAT and GPA fall below the MD program medians.
DO and MD graduates have competed in the same NRMP residency match since 2020. CCOM graduates match into a wide range of specialties.
CCOM's tuition at $83,903 is the highest of any Illinois program — notably more expensive than even Northwestern Feinberg. Factor this into your financial planning.
DO programs include additional training in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) beyond the standard medical curriculum.
Application Tips for Med School Applicants
Getting into any Illinois program requires a thoughtful, tailored application. These strategies apply specifically to the Illinois landscape.
đź’ˇ Key Application Strategies
1
Apply early on a rolling basis.
All Illinois MD programs process applications through AMCAS on a rolling timeline. Submitting in late June or early July significantly improves your chances over an October submission, even with identical scores.
2
Demonstrate mission fit in your secondary essays.
Programs like SIU (rural medicine, humanities), Carle Illinois (engineering), and Loyola (service) are not just evaluating stats; they are assessing mission alignment. Tailored secondaries matter here more than at most programs.
3
Research the interview format before preparing.
UChicago Pritzker and Chicago Medical School (Rosalind Franklin) use MMI. Feinberg, Rush, and others use traditional or hybrid formats. MMI preparation requires a fundamentally different practice approach.
4
Balance your list by selectivity tier.
A 3.70 GPA and 511 MCAT is competitive at Rush, UICOM, and Loyola; but not at Feinberg or Pritzker. Include programs where your stats exceed the median alongside reach programs.
5
Illinois residents should include SIU and at least one UICOM campus in their list.
Both have strong in-state preference and meaningfully lower tuition than private options.
| Program | Secondary Essays |
|---|---|
| Northwestern Feinberg | 3 written + 3 conditional (6 for MSTP) |
| UChicago Pritzker | 3 written, 1 optional |
| U of I College of Medicine | 5 written, 2 conditional |
| Rush Medical College | 2 written, 3 optional |
| Carle Illinois | 3 short essays + visual 'artifacts' |
| Rosalind Franklin / Chicago Medical School | 5 written |
| Loyola Stritch | 5 written + 8 optional/conditional |
| Southern Illinois University SOM | 3 written, 2 conditional |
| CCOM / Midwestern (DO) | 2 written, 1 résumé, 1 list |
📝 Program Quick-Reference — What Makes Each One Distinctive
- Feinberg: 4-year scholarly concentration; 65% top-25 residency match; best for research and competitive specialties.
- Pritzker: smallest MD class (88); multidisciplinary campus; 5 community clinics; MMI interview.
- UICOM: largest class (291); three campuses; rural, urban, global medicine tracks; strong in-state preference.
- Rush Medical College: lowest private tuition ($46,222); West Chicago community service focus; Cook County Hospital rotations.
- Carle Illinois: world's first engineering-based MD; upper-level math prerequisites; innovation-driven curriculum.
- Rosalind Franklin / Chicago Medical School: veteran care center rotations; interprofessional education focus; MMI interview.
- Loyola Stritch: Jesuit service mission; global health, bioethics, and research honors programs.
- SIU: Illinois residents only; lowest state tuition ($39,441); medical humanities curriculum; 80-student class.
- CCOM (DO): Illinois's only DO program; COMLEX above national average; largest class in the state (205).
For applicants also comparing Southeast programs, Georgia has five accredited programs including Emory University School of Medicine (a nationally ranked research institution) and the historically Black Morehouse School of Medicine. Our guide to medical schools in Georgia covers all five.
References
- "Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR)." Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), 2025, www.aamc.org/msar.
- "Best Medical Schools." U.S. News & World Report, 2026, www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools.
- Shemmassian, Shirag. "Medical Schools in Illinois." Shemmassian Academic Consulting, 2025, www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/medical-schools-in-illinois.
- "Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine." Northwestern Medicine, 2025, www.feinberg.northwestern.edu.
- "Rush Medical College." Rush University Medical Center, 2025, www.rushu.rush.edu/college-medicine.
- "University of Illinois College of Medicine." University of Illinois Chicago, 2025, chicago.medicine.uic.edu.
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