AP Computer Science Principles credit at Illinois colleges

Every Illinois college with a published AP Computer Science Principles credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.

Quick answer

58 of 70 Illinois colleges (83%) award credit for AP Computer Science Principles at a score of 3. 12 require a 4 and 0 require a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (3 credit hours). 70 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.

Colleges that award credit for AP Computer Science Principles, with the minimum qualifying score, credit hours awarded and the equivalent course.
CollegeMin scoreCreditsCounts asSource
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign
33Computer Science 102Policy
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago
33CS 100Policy
Illinois State University
Normal
33IT 140Policy
DePaul University
Chicago
34IT 123Policy
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb
33CSCI 205Policy
College of Lake County
Grayslake
33CIT 199Policy
Joliet Junior College
Joliet
34CIS 122Policy
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Edwardsville
33CS 111Policy
William Rainey Harper College
Palatine
33CIS 106Policy
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale
33CS 201Policy
Elgin Community College
Elgin
33CIS 110Policy
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago
33Core ElectivePolicy
Triton College
River Grove
33CIS 102Policy
Waubonsee Community College
Sugar Grove
33CIS 115Policy
Western Illinois University
Macomb
33CS ElecPolicy
Illinois Central College
East Peoria
33CMPSC 115Policy
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston
33CSM Elective-Math General EducationPolicy
Rock Valley College
Rockford
33CIS 102Policy
Aurora University
Aurora
34CSC1010Policy
Lincoln Land Community College
Springfield
33CSC 100Policy
Northeastern Illinois University
Chicago
33CS 100Policy
Bradley University
Peoria
33CS/IS elective creditPolicy
Lewis University
Romeoville
33Policy
Parkland College
Champaign
3CIS 112Policy
Saint Xavier University
Chicago
33CMPSC 112Policy
Heartland Community College
Normal
33General ElectivePolicy
Morton College
Cicero
32CPS 101Policy
Governors State University
University Park
33CPSC 2100Policy
Lake Land College
Mattoon
33CIS156Policy
Prairie State College
Chicago Heights
3ITPRG 103Policy
Black Hawk College
Moline
33CS 105Policy
John A Logan College
Carterville
34CPS 206Policy
South Suburban College
South Holland
33MIS 102Policy
Kankakee Community College
Kankakee
33COSC 2513Policy
Kaskaskia College
Centralia
33CITW 105Policy
Benedictine University
Lisle
32CMSC 1180 (QCM)Policy
Kishwaukee College
Malta
33CIS 101Policy
McKendree University
Lebanon
35CSI-131 (Computational Thinking) & CSI-132 (Introduction to Programming)Policy
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago
33Open ElectivePolicy
Chicago State University
Chicago
33CPTR 1090Policy
Richland Community College
Decatur
3IT 131Policy
Concordia University-Chicago
River Forest
33Computer Information Systems ElectivePolicy
University of St Francis
Joliet
33COMP 135Policy
Sauk Valley Community College
Dixon
33Policy
Quincy University
Quincy
33CIS 101Policy
Rockford University
Rockford
33CSCI 170Policy
Highland Community College
Freeport
3INFT 190Policy
Illinois College
Jacksonville
34CS electivePolicy
Greenville University
Greenville
33ElectivePolicy
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights
36Elective credit (possible test out of CPSC 111)Policy
Judson University
Elgin
33Elective creditPolicy
Spoon River College
Canton
33CIS108Policy
Monmouth College
Monmouth
34100 level elective creditPolicy
Olney Central College
Olney
33CIS 2170Policy
Wabash Valley College
Mount Carmel
33CIS 2170Policy
Eureka College
Eureka
33CSC135, Computer Science IPolicy
Lincoln Trail College
Robinson
33CIS 2170Policy
Frontier Community College
Fairfield
33CIS 2170Policy
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago
43COMP 150Policy
Northwestern University
Evanston
41COMP_SCI 1XXPolicy
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago
42CS 110Policy
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais
42COMP 120Policy
Augustana College
Rock Island
43CSC-121Policy
North Central College
Naperville
44CSCE Elective (100-level)Policy
Dominican University
River Forest
43Policy
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest
41.0CSCI 112Policy
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington
41Computer Science 100 level elective, FRPolicy
Millikin University
Decatur
43computer science elective creditPolicy
Knox College
Galesburg
41CS 127Policy
Principia College
Elsah
43CSCI XXXPolicy

AP Computer Science Principles credit in other states

How we ranked this

One row per Illinois college: the lowest score that earns actual credit under the policy that applies to all students, and the largest credit award published at that score. Placement-only policies — permission to skip a course without earning credit hours — are excluded. Credit hours and course equivalents are reproduced exactly as the college published them; “—” means no value was published and we do not estimate one. A page is published for a state only when at least 8 colleges back it.

Frequently asked questions

Which Illinois colleges give credit for AP Computer Science Principles?+

70 colleges in Illinois publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Computer Science Principles. 58 of them (83%) award credit at a score of 3, 12 require a 4, and 0 require a 5. The full list, with credit hours and the course each exam replaces, is in the table on this page.

What is the lowest AP Computer Science Principles score that earns credit in Illinois?+

3. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign awards credit at a score of 3, worth 3 credit hours, counting as Computer Science 102. 58 Illinois colleges in total set their bar at a 3 or lower.

Does in-state residency change AP credit in Illinois?+

No. AP credit policy is set per institution and applies to admitted students regardless of residency — residency affects tuition rate, not credit awards. What does vary is the school within a university: engineering and nursing colleges commonly set higher bars than arts and sciences. The rules shown here are the ones that apply to all students at each college.

How do I verify these Illinois AP credit policies?+

70 of the 70 colleges on this page link to their own published AP credit page in the Source column; our snapshot was taken July 30, 2026. The college's page is authoritative and can change between admission cycles, so confirm there before building a graduation plan around the credit.

Keep exploring

Data sources: Each college's own published AP / advanced-standing credit page (captured July 30, 2026) · IPEDS institution directory (names, control, location). Figures are the most recent values published in each federal dataset; cells with no published value are shown as “—” and never estimated. CertiHomes Education does not sell rankings or accept placement fees.