September 5, 2026
Written By
Dr. Michael Minh Le
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If you're researching medical schools in Illinois, chances are you're trying to answer a stressful question: Where should I actually apply? Illinois has some of the most prestigious medical schools in the country, but they also come with wildly different missions, acceptance rates, and expectations for applicants.
In this guide, we'll break down every medical school in Illinois for the 2026 application cycle. You'll learn how many medical schools are in Illinois, get a detailed breakdown of each program, and see which ones stand out for research, community medicine, and innovative curricula. We'll also cover the hardest medical schools to get into in Illinois, the most affordable options, and the exact steps you should take to become a competitive applicant for these schools.
If you want to see what a successful medical school application actually looks like, Premed Catalyst has made this easier than ever. Our free AMCAS Application Database gives you access to 8 real applications that earned acceptances to top medical schools like UCLA and UCI. This includes full activities section, essays, and more, so you can study what works and reverse engineer it for yourself.
Get your free resource here inside our student portal.
Illinois currently has 10 medical schools offering MD or DO programs, including 9 fully accredited programs and 1 new osteopathic program with pre-accreditation status. Eight schools offer the MD degree, while two offer the DO degree. The newest addition is Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine (IllinoisCOM) at The Chicago School, which welcomed its inaugural class in 2026.
The 9 fully accredited medical schools are:
DO Program (Osteopathic)
Together, these schools offer a wide range of training environments, from highly research-focused institutions like Northwestern and UChicago to innovative programs like Carle Illinois, the world’s first engineering-based medical school.
Many of these schools are located in or around Chicago, one of the largest healthcare and medical research hubs in the United States. The city hosts several major academic hospitals, research institutions, and healthcare systems, which give medical students strong access to clinical training, research opportunities, and diverse patient populations.
IllinoisCOM is particularly notable because it is Chicago's first new medical school in nearly 100 years. Its inaugural class began in 2026, and the school integrates mental and physical health throughout its osteopathic medical curriculum.
Together, these schools offer a wide range of training environments, from highly research-focused institutions like Northwestern and UChicago to community-oriented programs like Rush and SIU and innovative programs like Carle Illinois.
Below is a comparison of the 10 medical schools currently operating or accepting students in Illinois, using the most recent publicly available class-profile and tuition information from each institution.
Location: Chicago
Feinberg consistently ranks among the top medical schools in the United States. Students train at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, one of the leading academic medical centers in the country.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2026
For 2026–27, Feinberg lists tuition of $76,512. Mandatory fees and health insurance bring direct billed costs higher, while the school's estimated total M1 budget is $120,134.
Students interested in academic medicine, research careers, and competitive specialties like dermatology, plastic surgery, and neurosurgery.
Location: Chicago
Why it stands out
The Pritzker School of Medicine is known for its tight-knit learning environment and strong research culture. Students train at the University of Chicago Medical Center, a leading academic hospital serving a diverse patient population.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2026
For 2026–27, Pritzker lists M1 tuition of $65,576 for two terms. Its estimated M1 cost of attendance is $96,128 before university health insurance and $101,645 with the school's health-insurance estimate.
Best fit for
Students interested in academic medicine, biomedical research, and leadership in healthcare innovation.
Location: Chicago, Peoria, Rockford
Why it stands out
The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers students the opportunity to train in different healthcare settings across the state, from large urban hospitals to rural community clinics.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2029
For 2026–27, UIC lists tuition of $49,500 for Illinois residents and $83,814 for nonresidents. Mandatory fees are $6,350. The projected first-year cost of attendance is $89,430 for Chicago residents and $85,830 for students at the Peoria or Rockford campuses.
Best fit for
Students seeking a public medical education with diverse clinical experiences and opportunities to work in underserved communities.
Location: Chicago
Why it stands out
Rush Medical College is well known for prioritizing applicants with a commitment to service and community health. Students begin interacting with patients early in their training.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2025
Rush charges tuition by term. For the 2026–27 academic year, M1 tuition is $22,145 for both the fall and spring terms, with additional summer tuition charges associated with the curriculum.
Best fit for
Students with strong community service backgrounds who want early patient interaction and training in urban healthcare settings.
Location: Maywood
Why it stands out
Stritch School of Medicine emphasizes whole-person care, combining rigorous clinical training with a strong focus on ethics, service, and social justice.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2029
For 2026–27, Stritch lists annual M1 tuition of $73,720. The school's M1 cost of attendance is $106,560 before considering whether the student waives Loyola's health insurance.
Best fit for
Students interested in mission-driven medicine, global health, and serving underserved communities.
Location: Champaign
Why it stands out
Carle Illinois trains physicians to design and build healthcare solutions, preparing graduates to lead in biomedical innovation.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2030
Carle Illinois requires a minimum MCAT score of 498 but does not have a minimum GPA requirement. The school evaluates GPA and MCAT as components of its holistic admissions process and directs applicants to AAMC MSAR for current matriculant median MCAT information.
The Class of 2030 began clinical immersion within its first weeks of medical school, continuing Carle Illinois' emphasis on engineering-informed problem solving and early patient care.
Best fit for
Students interested in biomedical innovation, healthcare technology, and engineering-driven medicine.
Location: North Chicago
Why it stands out
Students learn alongside peers in fields like pharmacy, podiatry, and physical therapy, preparing them for team-based healthcare environments.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2025
Best fit for
Students interested in collaborative healthcare environments and diverse clinical training opportunities.
Location: Springfield
Why it stands out
The school primarily admits Illinois residents and prepares physicians to practice in communities throughout the state.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2026
Best fit for
Illinois residents interested in community medicine, primary care, and patient-centered practice.
Location: Downers Grove
Why it stands out
CCOM provides rigorous training in osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) alongside traditional medical education.
Admissions Snapshot for Entering Class of 2029
Best fit for
Students interested in osteopathic medicine, primary care pathways, and holistic patient care.
Location: Chicago
Why it stands out
IllinoisCOM is part of The Chicago School and received pre-accreditation from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) before enrolling its inaugural class. Pre-accreditation is the highest level of accreditation available to a new osteopathic medical school before it graduates its first class.
Admissions Snapshot for Inaugural Entering Class of 2026
IllinoisCOM's curriculum is built around the connection between physical and mental health and prepares students for patient-centered osteopathic practice.
Best fit for
Students interested in osteopathic medicine, integrated physical and mental healthcare, primary care, underserved communities, and whole-person patient care.
Not every medical school serves the same type of student.
Some programs are research powerhouses, producing physician-scientists and leaders in academic medicine. Others focus heavily on community medicine, service, and primary care training.
Understanding the strengths of each program can help you identify which schools best match your career goals, interests, and values.
Some Illinois medical schools are nationally recognized for their research funding, academic hospital systems, and physician-scientist training pathways.
Northwestern Feinberg is particularly attractive to students pursuing research and academic medicine. Its 2026 entering class reported 100% participation in research at the undergraduate or graduate level, and students have access to major research facilities and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine is also known for its small class size and strong research culture. Its current entering class contains 91 students, and Pritzker offers extensive opportunities for mentored research and physician-scientist training.
These schools are especially attractive for students interested in academic medicine, biomedical research, and competitive specialties.
Several Illinois medical schools focus heavily on serving communities and training physicians to work in underserved areas.
Rush Medical College strongly prioritizes community service and healthcare equity. Its admissions process heavily values applicants with significant volunteer work and commitment to serving underserved populations.
As a Jesuit medical school, Loyola emphasizes compassionate care, social justice, and global health. The program integrates service and ethics into its medical curriculum.
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine focuses on training physicians to serve communities across Illinois, particularly rural areas. The school’s smaller class size and patient-centered curriculum create a highly supportive learning environment.
IllinoisCOM is also designed around addressing healthcare needs in underserved communities and integrating mental and physical health into patient care.
These programs are strong options for students who want careers in primary care, community health, and public service medicine.
Carle Illinois is widely considered one of the most innovative medical schools in the country. It is the first engineering-based medical school in the United States, integrating medicine with engineering and technology.
Students learn how to design medical devices, develop healthcare technology, and solve clinical problems through engineering principles. The Class of 2030 includes 64 students, with 56% coming from engineering backgrounds.
This program is an ideal fit for students interested in healthcare technology, medical innovation, and biomedical entrepreneurship.
Medical schools in Illinois attract thousands of applicants every year, making admissions extremely competitive. While all programs are selective, a few stand out as the most difficult to gain admission to due to their prestige, research funding, and limited class sizes.
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine received 8,936 applications for its 2026 entering class and enrolled 141 students. Its entering class had a 3.95 median GPA and 520 median MCAT, making it one of the most academically competitive programs in the state.
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine maintains a particularly small entering class. Its current entering class contains 91 students, while the school reports thousands of applications and a 3.7% acceptance rate for the entering Class of 2024.
Loyola Stritch School of Medicine is another highly competitive option. Its Class of 2030 includes 171 students selected from more than 14,000 applicants, with a 3.86 mean overall GPA and 513 mean MCAT.
Rush Medical College received 13,327 primary applications for its 2025 entering class and enrolled 144 students. Its entering class had an average GPA of 3.72 and average MCAT of 510.
Students admitted to these programs typically have:
Strong grades and test scores are important, but they are not enough on their own. Medical schools evaluate applicants holistically, considering experiences, personal attributes, essays, recommendations, service, leadership, and institutional fit alongside academic performance.
Medical school is expensive. There’s no way around it. Between tuition, fees, and living costs, many medical students graduate with six-figure debt.
That said, some Illinois medical schools are significantly more affordable, especially for in-state residents.
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is one of the most affordable options in the state for Illinois residents, although its currently published public FAQ still displays an older 2022–23 tuition figure rather than a current 2026–27 rate.
As a public medical school, the University of Illinois College of Medicine offers substantially lower tuition to Illinois residents. For 2026–27, UIC lists $49,500 in resident tuition compared with $83,814 for nonresidents.
Carle Illinois is also part of the University of Illinois system, making its tuition structure different from that of most private medical schools.
Private medical schools in Illinois generally have higher tuition costs. For 2026–27, Northwestern lists $76,512 in tuition, Pritzker lists $65,576 for M1 tuition, Loyola lists $73,720, and Chicago Medical School lists $74,290.
CCOM is also among the state's more expensive options, with $85,232 in 2026–27 tuition before mandatory fees.
For many applicants, in-state public schools provide the best balance between cost and training opportunities, although residency restrictions and admissions preferences vary substantially by school.
Getting into a medical school in Illinois requires more than strong grades and test scores. The most successful applicants approach the process strategically, building a school list that fits their profile, aligning their experiences with program missions, and preparing thoroughly for interviews.
Not every medical school should automatically be on your application list.
Instead, evaluate each program based on factors like:
For example, schools like Southern Illinois University School of Medicine strongly favor in-state applicants, while highly selective research schools such as Northwestern and UChicago expect extremely strong academic metrics.
A balanced school list typically includes a mix of reach, target, and realistic programs based on your academic profile.
Admissions committees are not only evaluating numbers. They are also looking for fit. Your experiences should align with what a school values most.
Examples include:
When your activities, essays, and experiences clearly reflect a school’s mission, your application becomes much more compelling.
Once you reach the interview stage, schools want to evaluate how you think, communicate, and interact with others. Several Illinois medical schools use the MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) format.
MMIs are designed to evaluate:
Instead of one long interview, applicants rotate through a series of short stations where they discuss ethical scenarios or complete teamwork tasks.
Because this format can feel unfamiliar, practice is critical. Preparing for common ethical scenarios and practicing structured responses can significantly improve performance.
Illinois is home to some of the most respected medical schools in the country. From elite research universities to mission-driven community programs, the state offers a wide range of opportunities for future physicians.
Students who attend medical school in Illinois benefit from:
Cities like Chicago serve as major healthcare hubs, giving medical students access to leading hospitals, cutting-edge research institutions, and a wide range of clinical training environments.
However, it’s important to understand that competition is fierce. Many Illinois medical schools receive thousands of applications each year, especially top-tier programs like Northwestern and the University of Chicago.
If your goal is to train in one of the largest medical ecosystems in the United States, Illinois offers incredible opportunities for aspiring physicians.
Illinois has an incredible range of programs. From elite research institutions like Northwestern and UChicago, to community-focused schools like Rush and Loyola, to innovative programs like Carle Illinois, each school looks for different types of applicants.
But here’s the challenge most premed students run into: It’s hard to know what a successful medical school application actually looks like.
Stats like GPA and MCAT scores are only part of the picture. What really matters is how your experiences, story, and activities come together into a compelling application.
That’s why Premed Catalyst created a free AMCAS Application Database.
Inside, you can study 8 real medical school applications that earned acceptances to top programs like UCLA and UCI. You’ll be able to see exactly how successful applicants structured their personal statements, activities, and more.
Get your free resource here.
