Illinois vs Minnesota: Scholarship Climate 2026
Which climate fits best? Illinois offers a higher volume of scholarship opportunities, while Minnesota provides larger average awards. Applicants should consider their specific needs and eligibility.
State A
Illinois
State B
Minnesota
Quick comparison
| Metric | Illinois | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Active scholarships in catalog | 272 | 47 |
| Avg. award (where known) | $1,958 | $2,915 |
| Max indexed award | $18,574 | $9,000 |
Financial Aid Overview for 2026
In 2026, Illinois presents a robust scholarship climate with a total of 238 grants available, averaging around $1,970 per award. The maximum award can reach up to $18,574. Notable institutions such as Loyola University Chicago lead in grant counts, providing numerous opportunities for students.
Conversely, Minnesota has a smaller scholarship pool with only 36 grants, but the average award size is significantly higher at approximately $3,125, with a maximum of $9,000. This state features specialized institutions like the Minnesota Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which offers targeted scholarships.
Final verdict explanation
ScholarshipTop publishes this supplemental “Final verdict explanation” whenever the primary matchup body for 2026 skews thinner than editorial depth standards. The comparison table summarizes about 272 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Illinois alongside about 47 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Minnesota using the same ingestion window, so deltas highlight catalog-wide signals rather than courthouse-grade guarantees. Residents, transfers, and commuter students weighing Illinois campuses against Minnesota footprints should corroborate every figure with authoritative financial aid disclosures, state higher-ed portals, endowed scholarship riders, reciprocal tuition agreements, Honors supplements, or graduation timelines before staking savings plans.
After reviewing the matchup metrics above, continue with Matches-style browsing, internationally inclusive corridors when visas matter, streamlined application corridors when time is scarce, followed by essay hubs and evergreen resource articles covering drafting workflows, budgeting, appeals, parental contribution conversations, and scholarship renewals tied to academic performance. ScholarshipTop provides these cues as scaffolding; students still validate final award letters directly with campuses and adjust strategy whenever policies evolve during 2026 and afterward.
Top Scholarship Providers in Illinois
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 611 grants
- 156 grants
- 122 grants
- 21 grants
- 5 grants
Top Scholarship Providers in Minnesota
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 4 grants
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
Match workspace
Find scholarships that fit your profile
Scholarship climate by state
Illinois
Illinois has a vibrant scholarship environment with numerous opportunities, making it suitable for students seeking a variety of funding options.
Minnesota
Minnesota's scholarship climate, while smaller, offers higher average awards, appealing to those who prioritize larger funding amounts.
Public reference data
Cost of living & wages
State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.
Visual comparison
Median household income
Census ACSFair market rent (2BR)
HUD monthly estimateLiving wage
Single adult, MIT modelBLS median wage
State occupational estimateIllinois
Median household income
$83,872
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$1,002
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
21.12/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$51,960
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 32.18 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
middle indicator band
ADI band
middle indicator band
SVI counties
102
ADI counties
102
- CDC SVI county data is available for 102 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 102 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Minnesota
Median household income
$89,564
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$1,046
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
21.55/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$56,920
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 22.22 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
lower indicator band
ADI band
middle indicator band
SVI counties
87
ADI counties
87
- CDC SVI county data is available for 87 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 87 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.
Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.
Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.
Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.
FAQ
What is the average scholarship amount in Illinois?
How many scholarships are available in Minnesota?
Which state has the highest maximum scholarship amount?
What are the top universities offering scholarships in Illinois?
Sources and official pages
Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- Illinois and Minnesota scholarship search reference - high-authority reference
More guides around this State vs State comparison
Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Illinois and Minnesota.
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