Cities in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over

Winnetka, IL had the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over of 225 cities in 2023, at 51%. Summit, IL had the lowest, at 2.2%. The median was 12.8% and the figure for Illinois was 14.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest51Winnetka, IL

Lowest2.2Summit, IL

Median12.8225 cities

Illinois14.9History

Top 40 cities, 2023

%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2023 (%)	Change on 2022
1	Winnetka, IL	51	+0.6 pts
2	Wilmette, IL	50	+0.6 pts
3	Hinsdale, IL	45.3	-0.6 pts
4	River Forest, IL	43.4	-2.1 pts
5	Lake Forest, IL	43.2	+0.2 pts
6	Deerfield, IL	41.1	+0.7 pts
7	Evanston, IL	40.2	+0.8 pts
8	Northbrook, IL	40	+0.2 pts
9	Oak Park, IL	38.6	-0.2 pts
10	Urbana, IL	37.6	+2.6 pts
11	Highland Park, IL	37.5	-1.3 pts
12	Burr Ridge, IL	35.6	-1.1 pts
13	Western Springs, IL	34.8	-0.5 pts
14	Glenview, IL	33.7	-0.9 pts
15	Naperville, IL	33	+1.4 pts
16	Vernon Hills, IL	31.4	+1.3 pts
17	Glen Ellyn, IL	31.3	+0.9 pts
18	Champaign, IL	30.8	-0 pts
19	Libertyville, IL	30	-1.5 pts
20	Buffalo Grove, IL	29.2	+0.4 pts
21	Elmhurst, IL	28.6	-0.2 pts
22	La Grange, IL	28.1	+0.1 pts
23	La Grange Park, IL	27.1	+1.9 pts
24	Park Ridge, IL	26.7	+0.2 pts
25	Wheaton, IL	26.7	-0 pts
26	Lisle, IL	26.4	-0.9 pts
27	Arlington Heights, IL	25.8	+0.7 pts
28	Barrington, IL	25.8	-2.1 pts
29	Geneva, IL	25.3	+0.5 pts
30	Winfield, IL	25.1	-0 pts
31	Frankfort, IL	25	-1 pts
32	Mahomet, IL	24.9	+3.3 pts
33	Downers Grove, IL	24.7	+0.1 pts
34	Lake Zurich, IL	23.9	+1 pts
35	Edwardsville, IL	23.8	-1.1 pts
36	Carbondale, IL	23.6	-2.1 pts
37	Campton Hills, IL	23.6	+0.9 pts
38	O'Fallon, IL	23.3	+1.1 pts
39	Batavia, IL	23.2	+0.8 pts
40	Lincolnwood, IL	22.8	+0.9 pts
41	Forest Park, IL	22.4	-2.3 pts
42	Grayslake, IL	22.3	-1.2 pts
43	Glen Carbon, IL	21.4	-2.3 pts
44	Gurnee, IL	21.2	-0.3 pts
45	Columbia, IL	21	-0.7 pts
46	St. Charles, IL	20.8	-1.2 pts
47	Morton Grove, IL	20.3	+1.3 pts
48	Skokie, IL	20.2	+0.1 pts
49	Schaumburg, IL	20.1	+1 pts
50	Darien, IL	19.9	-1.3 pts
51	Westmont, IL	19.6	-0.2 pts
52	Homewood, IL	19.4	+2.8 pts
53	Swansea, IL	19.3	-0.4 pts
54	Shiloh, IL	19.2	+2.9 pts
55	Chatham, IL	19	-0.9 pts
56	Plainfield, IL	18.9	+0.6 pts
57	Palatine, IL	18.6	+0.4 pts
58	Matteson, IL	18.5	+0.9 pts
59	Normal, IL	18.5	-0.5 pts
60	Chicago, IL	18.4	+0.4 pts
61	Orland Park, IL	18.4	+0.8 pts
62	Macomb, IL	18.4	-1.6 pts
63	Woodridge, IL	18	-0.6 pts
64	Lemont, IL	18	+0.8 pts
65	Palos Heights, IL	17.9	-0.8 pts
66	Sycamore, IL	17.7	-0.8 pts
67	Mount Prospect, IL	17.5	+0.9 pts
68	Oswego, IL	17.5	-0.2 pts
69	New Lenox, IL	17.4	-0.4 pts
70	Warrenville, IL	17.1	+0.8 pts
71	Roselle, IL	16.8	+1.7 pts
72	Cary, IL	16.8	+0.8 pts
73	Hoffman Estates, IL	16.8	-0.8 pts
74	Bloomington, IL	16.5	+0.6 pts
75	Mokena, IL	16.4	-1.1 pts
76	Peoria, IL	16.4	+0.7 pts
77	Shorewood, IL	16.3	+1 pts
78	Lombard, IL	16.3	-0.9 pts
79	Evergreen Park, IL	16	+0.7 pts
80	Charleston, IL	16	+0.4 pts
81	Algonquin, IL	15.9	-0.6 pts
82	Brookfield, IL	15.9	+1 pts
83	Wauconda, IL	15.5	+1.1 pts
84	Mundelein, IL	15.4	+0.2 pts
85	Troy, IL	15.4	+2.3 pts
86	Washington, IL	15.4	-0.4 pts
87	Tinley Park, IL	15.3	+0.6 pts
88	Lindenhurst, IL	15.1	+0.3 pts
89	Bloomingdale, IL	15.1	+0.9 pts
90	Lockport, IL	15.1	+0.6 pts
91	Huntley, IL	15.1	-1.1 pts
92	Springfield, IL	14.9	+0.3 pts
93	Aurora, IL	14.7	+0.9 pts
94	Fairview Heights, IL	14.5	+0.6 pts
95	North Aurora, IL	14.4	-0.2 pts
96	DeKalb, IL	14.3	-1.4 pts
97	Bolingbrook, IL	14	-0 pts
98	Bartlett, IL	13.9	-0.4 pts
99	Westchester, IL	13.8	+0.1 pts
100	Carol Stream, IL	13.7	-0.4 pts
101	Des Plaines, IL	13.7	-0.9 pts
101	Rolling Meadows, IL	13.7	0 pts
103	Morton, IL	13.5	+0.6 pts
104	South Elgin, IL	13.5	+0.4 pts
105	Wheeling, IL	13.4	+0.3 pts
106	Elk Grove Village, IL	13.3	+0.8 pts
107	Crystal Lake, IL	13.2	+0.8 pts
108	Bourbonnais, IL	13	-1.7 pts
109	Hazel Crest, IL	13	-1.3 pts
109	Woodstock, IL	13	-0.6 pts
111	Waterloo, IL	12.8	+1.3 pts
112	West Chicago, IL	12.8	+0.7 pts
113	Antioch, IL	12.8	+1.3 pts
114	Belleville, IL	12.8	+1.9 pts
115	Homer Glen, IL	12.7	+0.8 pts
116	Elmwood Park, IL	12.3	-0.3 pts
117	Prospect Heights, IL	12.2	+0.4 pts
118	Richton Park, IL	12	-1 pts
119	Villa Park, IL	11.9	+1.7 pts
120	Roscoe, IL	11.7	-0.4 pts
121	Godfrey, IL	11.6	+0.2 pts
122	Niles, IL	11.5	-1.2 pts
122	South Holland, IL	11.5	-1.2 pts
124	Marion, IL	11.2	+0.5 pts
125	Lansing, IL	11.1	+1.5 pts
126	Highland, IL	11	+2.4 pts
126	Round Lake, IL	11	+2.1 pts
128	Park Forest, IL	10.6	-0.5 pts
129	Collinsville, IL	10.4	+0.4 pts
130	Lake in the Hills, IL	10.2	-1.1 pts
131	Channahon, IL	10.2	-0.6 pts
132	Effingham, IL	10.1	+0.1 pts
133	Moline, IL	10.1	+0.1 pts
134	Loves Park, IL	10	+1.6 pts
135	Hickory Hills, IL	9.8	+0.2 pts
136	Rock Island, IL	9.7	+0.9 pts
137	Oak Lawn, IL	9.7	-0.1 pts
138	Norridge, IL	9.5	-1.2 pts
139	Oak Forest, IL	9.5	0 pts
139	Pingree Grove, IL	9.5	+0.1 pts
141	Yorkville, IL	9.4	-0.4 pts
142	Montgomery, IL	9.3	+1.9 pts
143	Palos Hills, IL	9.3	-1.7 pts
144	Quincy, IL	9.2	-0.2 pts
145	Herrin, IL	9.2	-1.3 pts
145	Morris, IL	9.2	-0.5 pts
147	Elgin, IL	9.1	-0.8 pts
148	Hanover Park, IL	9.1	+0.8 pts
148	Manhattan, IL	9.1	+0.8 pts
150	Joliet, IL	9	+0.7 pts
151	East Peoria, IL	9	-0.1 pts
152	Danville, IL	8.9	+1.1 pts
153	Minooka, IL	8.6	-4.4 pts
154	Streamwood, IL	8.6	+0.2 pts
155	Sterling, IL	8.6	+1.4 pts
156	Berwyn, IL	8.4	-0 pts
157	Rockford, IL	8.4	-0.2 pts
158	Alsip, IL	8.1	-1.3 pts
159	Crest Hill, IL	8.1	+0.9 pts
160	Galesburg, IL	7.8	+0.7 pts
161	Chicago Ridge, IL	7.6	+1.5 pts
162	Dolton, IL	7.6	+1 pts
163	Alton, IL	7.6	+0.4 pts
164	Blue Island, IL	7.6	+1.6 pts
165	Country Club Hills, IL	7.5	-1.1 pts
166	Fox Lake, IL	7.4	+1.2 pts
167	Decatur, IL	7.4	+0.1 pts
168	Crestwood, IL	7.4	0 pts
169	Carpentersville, IL	7.3	+0.4 pts
170	Glendale Heights, IL	7.3	-0.1 pts
171	Bradley, IL	7.2	+0.9 pts
171	Freeport, IL	7.2	+0.1 pts
173	Lincoln, IL	7.2	+0.1 pts
174	Mattoon, IL	7.2	-0.3 pts
175	Riverdale, IL	7.1	+0.4 pts
176	Mount Vernon, IL	7.1	+0.2 pts
177	McHenry, IL	6.9	-0.2 pts
178	Midlothian, IL	6.9	+0.2 pts
179	Pontiac, IL	6.9	-0.2 pts
179	Wood Dale, IL	6.9	+1.3 pts
181	Maywood, IL	6.8	+0.7 pts
182	East Moline, IL	6.8	+0.3 pts
183	Centralia, IL	6.8	-1.1 pts
184	Waukegan, IL	6.8	-0.7 pts
185	Calumet City, IL	6.5	+0.2 pts
186	Canton, IL	6.3	-0.4 pts
187	Addison, IL	6.2	-1.1 pts
188	Romeoville, IL	6.2	+0.2 pts
189	Ottawa, IL	6.2	-0.7 pts
190	Wood River, IL	6.2	+1.1 pts
191	Dixon, IL	6.1	-0.3 pts
192	Chicago Heights, IL	6.1	-0.6 pts
193	Schiller Park, IL	6.1	+0.6 pts
194	North Chicago, IL	6	-1.5 pts
195	Justice, IL	6	+1 pts
196	Jacksonville, IL	6	-0.3 pts
197	Pekin, IL	5.9	+0.4 pts
198	Beach Park, IL	5.9	+0.7 pts
199	Taylorville, IL	5.8	-0.4 pts
200	Lyons, IL	5.7	-0.3 pts
201	Plano, IL	5.7	-0 pts
202	East St. Louis, IL	5.6	+0.8 pts
203	Rantoul, IL	5.4	-0.9 pts
204	Cahokia Heights, IL	5.4	0 pts
205	Kankakee, IL	5.3	-0.4 pts
206	Bensenville, IL	5.2	-0.8 pts
207	Zion, IL	5	-1.1 pts
208	River Grove, IL	5	+0.7 pts
209	Machesney Park, IL	5	-0 pts
210	Belvidere, IL	4.9	+0.5 pts
211	Bridgeview, IL	4.8	-0.3 pts
212	Kewanee, IL	4.7	-0.1 pts
213	Round Lake Beach, IL	4.6	-0.5 pts
214	Granite City, IL	4.3	0 pts
215	Melrose Park, IL	4.2	-0.5 pts
216	Burbank, IL	4.2	+0.1 pts
217	Worth, IL	4.1	-0.8 pts
218	Franklin Park, IL	4	-0.4 pts
219	Bellwood, IL	3.7	+0.2 pts
220	Northlake, IL	3.4	-0.2 pts
221	Cicero, IL	3.2	+0.3 pts
222	Streator, IL	3.1	-0.2 pts
223	Markham, IL	3	-0.2 pts
224	Harvey, IL	2.4	-0.7 pts
225	Summit, IL	2.2	-1.1 pts

Other periods

2024
2023
2022
2021

About this ranking

People aged 25 and over whose highest degree is a master's, professional school or doctorate degree, as a percentage of all people aged 25 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

A subset of bachelors_degree_share, which also counts people whose highest degree is a bachelor's.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over, 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/graduate-or-professional-degree/illinois-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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rank_places {"indicator":"graduate_degree_share","level":"municipality","within":"Illinois","limit":10}
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Which city has the highest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over?

Winnetka, IL, with 51% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest graduate or professional degree, population 25 and over?

Summit, IL, with 2.2% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a master's, professional school or doctorate degree as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.