Illinois makes the grade on new college rankings

The new U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings are out, and Illinois schools score near the top of the list.

By the numbers: Northwestern University is No. 9 in the country for the 2023-24 school year, up one position from last year. Meanwhile, University of Chicago ranked No. 12 — dropping six spots.

• Princeton, MIT and Harvard ranked top three in the nation.

The intrigue: This year U.S. News & World Report significantly changed up its methodology. The new list places more emphasis on social mobility and graduation outcomes, while de-emphasizing class size, alumni giving, and the proportion of graduates with federal loans.

Yes, but: The rankings have been criticized as unreliable. A number of higher education institutions — including Columbia University and Harvard Medical School — stopped providing data for them.

Zoom in: Northwestern and the University of Chicago aren't the only Illinois institutions that made the top 100:

• No. 37: University of Illinois (Urbana/Champaign)
• No. 82: UIC
• No. 98: Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT)

Of note: In addition to the general rankings, the report also analyzed categories including liberal arts colleges where downstate Principia College came in at No. 51.

• No. 56: Wheaton College
• No. 73: Lake Forest College
• No. 75: Knox College
• No. 100: Augustana College

What's more: Illinois Wesleyan University ranked No. 1 in the Best Regional Colleges Midwest Rankings.