The university system that powers Illinois' economy

Illinois' economy depends on institutions that build infrastructure for the decades ahead.

Why it's important: Workforce demands are shifting, industries need talent pipelines they can depend on and communities across the state need real pathways to opportunity.

The University of Illinois System plays a central role in meeting those needs.

Here's how: Operating across three universities, including a major academic health system, the University of Illinois System transforms state investment into graduates, graduates into founders and founders into the companies that drive Illinois' economic growth.

• It strengthens Illinois' long-term competitiveness by developing workforce-ready talent and generating innovation and opportunity in a cycle that compounds over time.

Key numbers: In 2023, the University of Illinois System generated $24.9 billion in economic impact and supported roughly 1 in every 37 jobs in Illinois.

• For every dollar the state invested, taxpayers saw nearly $4 in economic return.

The breakdown: Each part of the system plays a distinct role in Illinois' growth engine by serving rural, suburban and urban communities across the state.

🏙️ University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), which includes the University of Illinois Hospital and Health System: Students connect directly to Chicago's business community through UIC's Innovation Center, which pairs emerging founders with mentors, networks and the resources to move from idea to launch.

• It also ranks 9th nationally among public universities for social mobility, per U.S. News, and the Wall Street Journal ranks UIC first for value in Illinois.
• 7 in 10 UIC undergrads graduate with real-world internship experience.
• UIC-connected startups generated $357 million for Illinois' economy in 2023, with biomedical research positioning Illinois at the forefront of health innovation.
• Trains the state's healthcare workforce, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and public health professionals.
• Cares for communities across Chicago and Illinois – 1.5 million patient visits annually.

🧑‍💻 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's (UIUC): The university's Research Park is one of the nation's leading university-based innovation ecosystems.

• Home to over 120 companies, it's nurtured more than 350 startups over 25 years that have raised collectively $1.4 billion in venture capital.
• Students can rotate through internships with Fortune 500 firms and early-stage ventures alike.

• Many graduates choose to stay in Illinois, keeping talent and capital in state.

🧑‍⚖️University of Illinois Springfield (UIS): Located in the state capital, UIS creates a direct pipeline between higher education and the public sector.

• Its proximity to policymakers means innovation and governance can develop in conversation with one another.
• The university has ranked No. 1 among Illinois' public regional universities for five consecutive years.
• U.S. News ranked UIS No. 1 among Illinois public regional universities for seven years running.

The impact: Together, the system forms an infrastructure that stretches from the research lab to the Statehouse and generates returns in less visible ways.

• UIC and UIUC jointly offer Early Childhood Education pathways through flexible online programs that don't require stepping away from a job or a family.
• Training early care professionals increases the supply of quality child care, which, in turn, allows more parents to enter or stay in the workforce.

The takeaway: The University of Illinois System is among Illinois' most consequential economic institutions.

• Every startup that stays in Illinois, every graduate who takes a job here and every working parent who earns a degree without leaving their community contributes to a system built to strengthen Illinois' economy for generations.

Explore how the University of Illinois System is powering the state's future.