Rush University prepares students to become leaders in health care. Through community service, research and diversity initiatives, our students are committed to the communities they serve. Learn more about Rush University and what we have to offer.
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Rush University facts
- Founded in 1972
- Private, non-denominational
- Located in the Illinois Medical District near Chicago's Loop
- Consists of three colleges:
Students and alumni
- Total enrollment, fall 2024: 2,769
- Degree level
- Doctoral: 1,545
- Graduate: 872
- Undergraduate: 137
- Certificates: 24
- Gender: 78 percent female, 22 percent male
- Average age: 30
- Residents and fellows: 829
- Living alumni (colleges and graduate medical education): nearly 25,000
Academic distinction
- The 2026 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools rankings ranked programs in the College of Nursing and the College of Health Sciences among the top ten in the country.
- The College of Nursing remains one of the top ranked nursing schools in the country. Rush placed No. 3 overall in the Doctor of Nursing Practice category, while seven specialty tracks ranked in the top 4.
- The College of Health Sciences' Audiology doctorate program, ranked at #9, has been in the top 10 each year since the program’s first ranking in 2008. The Health Systems Management program is ranked at #5.
- Rush Medical College was recognized for its research excellence.
- See Rush University's full 2026 rankings
- At Rush Medical College in 1847, David Jones Peck, MD, became the first African-American man to receive a doctor of medicine degree from an American medical school. Today, we continue to foster a culture of inclusion in our classrooms, health care settings and laboratories.
Clinical excellence
- Rush is one of the nation’s leaders in providing high-quality health care. Rush University Medical Center consistently ranks among the nation's best in U.S. News & World Report rankings, as well as earning high ratings in Vizient's Quality and Accountability Study and many more accolades.