Top-Rated Nonprofits in Illinois 2026
Illinois has 44 nonprofits with $40.5B in combined revenue. The top-rated organization is Northwestern Memorial Healthcare with an Efficiency Score of 87/100.
Illinois has 44 nonprofits in the IRS Form 990 dataset ranked here by efficiency score. The LakeQuality nonprofit efficiency rubric combines program-spending ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), and CEO compensation ratio (10%) into a 0-100 composite.
Reading the ranking: top of the list typically combines strong program-spending discipline (the highest-weighted factor) with stable multi-year revenue and reasonable executive compensation. Large hospital and university systems often appear near the top in any state — their scale lets them keep program ratios high while still investing in infrastructure. Each nonprofit links to its full Form 990 profile. For donors trying to choose between organizations, the efficiency grade is a useful triage — but the underlying program-spending ratio, the multi-year revenue trend, and the comp ratio matter more than the composite letter on any individual decision.
Top 20 of 44 Nonprofits in Illinois
| # | Organization | Category | Revenue | CEO Pay | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern Memorial Healthcare | Health | $9.1B | $0 | A (87) |
| 2 | University Of Chicago Medical Center | Health | $2.9B | $0 | A (87) |
| 3 | Lewis University | Education | $189.0M | $0 | A (87) |
| 4 | Aurora University | Education | $172.8M | $0 | A (87) |
| 5 | Osf Healthcare System | Health | $3.4B | $0 | A (86) |
| 6 | Rush University Medical Center | Health | $2.7B | $0 | A (86) |
| 7 | National Louis University | Education | $126.8M | $0 | A (85) |
| 8 | Noble Network Of Charter Schools | Education | $240.9M | $0 | A (84) |
| 9 | Columbia College Chicago | Education | $239.2M | $0 | A (84) |
| 10 | Advocate Health And Hospitals Corporation | Health | $6.9B | $0 | A (83) |
| 11 | Depaul University | Education | $848.4M | $0 | A (83) |
| 12 | Illinois Institute Of Technology | Education | $364.5M | $0 | A (81) |
| 13 | Institute For The International Education Of Students | Education | $126.7M | $0 | B (78) |
| 14 | Elevate Energy | Environment & Animals | $50.9M | $0 | B (78) |
| 15 | National Board Of Osteopathic Medical Examiners Inc | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $32.4M | $0 | B (77) |
| 16 | Navy Pier Inc | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $66.9M | $0 | B (75) |
| 17 | Chicago Theatre Group Inc | Arts, Culture & Humanities | $26.8M | $0 | B (75) |
| 18 | Loyola University Of Chicago | Education | $992.7M | $0 | B (74) |
| 19 | Augustana College | Education | $153.9M | $0 | B (74) |
| 20 | Northwestern Memorial Healthcare | Health | $2.1B | $0 | B (73) |
Nonprofit financial data for Illinois is sourced from IRS Form 990 filings, which all tax-exempt organizations must file annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Northwestern Memorial Healthcare is the top-rated nonprofit in Illinois with an Efficiency Score of 87/100 (Grade A) and $9.1B in annual revenue.
Illinois has 44 nonprofits in our database with a combined $40.5B in total revenue.
The Efficiency Score (0-100, A-F) measures nonprofit effectiveness based on program expense ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), and CEO compensation ratio (10%). Higher scores indicate more efficient organizations.
Efficiency Score: program expense ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), CEO compensation ratio (10%).