US News & World Report just released their annual list of top universities in the USA and several schools in Illinois and Missouri made the list this year. Coming in tied for sixth nationally is Northwestern University in Evanston, Il. A perennial favorite in the region, Northwestern churns out Health, Business Management, Marketing and Journalism professionals. Tied at number 11 is the University of Chicago featuring elevated study in economics, law and political science. Missouri chimes in at number 21 with Washington University in St. Louis which specializes in medical education, computer science, biological and biomedical sciences and engineering.