University of Illinois Springfield has been rated as the 24^th best Regional University in the Midwest, tying with North Central College of Naperville, Illinois. University of Illinois Springfield also ranked in sixth place for top Public Universities in the Midwest. These rankings are important for several reasons, and not just for their accessibility. Regional Public Universities are important due to how they are often vital sources of both community and economic development.

The Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges (ARRC) published a comprehensive list of Regional Public Universities last December, giving the University of Illinois Springfield an institutional designation of being a “Rural Serving Institution” while Northeastern Illinois University received a designation of being a “Hispanic Serving Institution.” It is hoped that through defining Regional Public Universities in more detail, that these detailed insights will aid in ensuring that such educational institutions are no longer “largely invisible in scholarly and policy discussions” per the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges (ARRC).

Other than the rankings mentioned above, the University of Illinois Springfield also came in at 11^th place as a Best Value School, based on the organization’s high quality academic programs, which are offered at a lesser cost than other colleges. Another ranking that the University of Illinois Springfield can brag about receiving is that of 10^th best college for veterans in the Midwest regional category, as well as being ranked as the 26^th for having the best online bachelor’s degree program for veterans.

ARRC | Project – Identifying and Defining Regional Public Universities (regionalcolleges.org)

Regional Public Universities Are Key to Higher Ed Access | BestColleges

University of Illinois–Springfield Overall Rankings | US News Best Colleges