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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

47 Ranked Colleges
3,458 Degrees Awarded
$35,362 Avg Salary
Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 310,601 education students received their degree, making the major the 4th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 10,069 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $45,178 and $28,378 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,458 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 47 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great education programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the education program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Education (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $6,452 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Northwestern University Education Report

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 190 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIUC has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $13,351 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UIUC.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Education at UIUC

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 47 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #3 spot on the list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 253 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,985 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SIUC.

Read full report on Education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Chicago. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 116 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #7 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,683 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at UIC

#5

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Illinois University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 121 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

EIU also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Illinois University is $13,560 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Eastern Illinois University Education Report

#6

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#18 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 166 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also made our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend NIU is $18,346 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Northern Illinois University Education Report

#7

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Saint Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SXU is $14,907 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full SXU Education Report

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 103 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $13,705 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read full report on Education at SIUE

#9

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 47 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also took the #6 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,691 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Wheaton College Illinois Education Report

#10

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Illinois State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 735 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also took the #4 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $19,080 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Illinois State University

#11

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Springfield, Illinois, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Springfield is $11,857 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Education at UIS

#12

Lewis University

Romeoville, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Lewis University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Romeoville, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 89 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Lewis has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lewis is $16,489 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Lewis

#13

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Aurora University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Aurora, Illinois, and it awarded 63 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Aurora not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Aurora is $15,881 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Aurora

#14

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Augustana College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Augustana College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rock Island, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Augustana, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $21,453 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Augustana College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Education at Augustana College

#15

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

University of St Francis came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of St Francis is located in Joliet, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

University of Saint Francis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of St Francis is $14,220 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at University of St Francis

#16

Judson University

Elgin, Illinois

Judson University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. Judson is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elgin, Illinois. It awarded 12 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Judson is $15,971 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Judson University Education Report

#17

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois

Governors State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University Park, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 40 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,872 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend GSU.

Read full report on Education at Governors State University

#18

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Millikin University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Millikin is located in Decatur, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 60 bachelors’s education degrees to qualified students.

Millikin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Millikin is $20,390 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Millikin Education Report

#19

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 74 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,912 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WIU.

Full Western Illinois University Education Report

#20

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Lake Forest College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Lake Forest, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s education degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lake Forest, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lake Forest is $24,683 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Lake Forest College Education Report

#21

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

National Louis University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. National Louis University is a medium-sized school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 162 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NLU, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend National Louis University is $16,888 for illinois bachelor’s degree education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Education at NLU

#22

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 54 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Chicago is $17,295 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Education at Concordia University, Chicago

#23

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Elmhurst University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 77 bachelors’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst also took the #16 spot in our “Best Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst University is $19,703 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Elmhurst

#24

Quincy University

Quincy, Illinois

Quincy University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Quincy University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Quincy, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Quincy U is $16,717 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Education at Quincy U

#25

Monmouth College

Monmouth, Illinois

Monmouth College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Monmouth, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s education students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,960 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Monmouth College.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Monmouth College

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Horadrim.

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