Awards & Rankings

Recent Rankings

• U.S. News and World Report: Millikin University earned a top-10 stop as a Best Regional College in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Millikin University in its 2023 "Best Colleges" guidebook, released on Sept. 12, 2022. The top-10 ranking places Millikin as the second highest ranked college in Illinois. Millikin also improved to a top-25 Best Value School in the Midwest and a No. 39 ranking in Social Mobility among the Midwest region. 
   
• Princeton Review: Millikin University is once again one of the 156 best colleges in the Midwest according to The Princeton Review. The education services company lists Millikin in the Best in the Midwest section of its "2023 Best Colleges: Region by Region" website feature posted on August 17, 2022. 
   
• The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: Millikin University is ranked among the nation's top colleges in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education 2022 rankings released on Sept. 21, 2021. Millikin rose to No. 349 of 796 institutions nationally and 77th out of 210 institutions in the Midwest.    
   
• Washington Monthly: In its ranking of top Bachelor's Colleges, Millikin was ranked No. 58 out of 259 institutions listed. 
   

Additional Notable Rankings

• Great College Deals: Millikin University has been named one of the top 20 best small college deals in Illinois according to Great College Deals. The ranking focuses on desirable features in pursuing a small college degree.
• Zippia: Millikin University has been named among the top ten best colleges for jobs in Illinois for 2019 according to a ranking published by Zippia, a career advice website dedicated to helping recent college graduates with their career choices.
• OnStage Blog: Millikin University has been named one of the top 30 College Acting/Performing Arts Programs for 2019-20.
• OnStage Blog: Millikin University was also named among the top 10 BFA Acting Programs in the Country for 2017-18.
• American Theatre: Millikin was named as one of the top 13 Musical Theatre Programs Outside of Manhattan in 2017.
• College Magazine: Millikin University was named as one of the top 10 Schools for Musical Theatre Majors in 2016.

What Students are Saying

According to the Princeton Review Rankings:

"Millikin is a 'small campus with a big campus vibe' thanks to a department-wide Performance Learning approach that gives you firsthand knowledge and experience that is absolutely vital in preparing for your future. Students can choose from a long list of areas of study, including 'excellent music and business programs' along with beloved nursing, theatre and education departments. These hands-on opportunities allow students to decide quickly if the major they are in is the right fit for them."

Millikin students are "cultured, diverse and friendly. Individually, they come from all walks of life and hold a wide range of personalities, majors and attributes that make them all unique. Not only does this lead to an encouraging environment for learning and creating, it also makes it very easy to form meaningful relationships because attendees are extremely open-minded."

According to Money's Best Colleges Rankings:

"The Performance Learning environment allowed me to experience real world situations right away as a freshman. I was afforded so many different opportunities ranging from choir, to Greek life, to a student-run theatre company."

"The varieties of styles of teaching courses are so different. Some professors lecture the whole time, others get involve with the students, and some do both. I like how the class size is not to overwhelmingly large or small, the professors know your name."

"I get to experience lots of one-on-one with my professors due to the exceptionally small class size. They make me feel comfortable to approach with questions."