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

23 Ranked Colleges
404 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 31,017 people earned their degree in early childhood education, making the major the 34th most popular in the United States.

Across Illinois, there were 790 early childhood education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 404 early childhood education graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in early childhood education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent early childhood education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the early childhood education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

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

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

Top 23 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Early Childhood Education (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

#1 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 #1 for the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $13,351 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Full UIUC Early Childhood Education Report

#2

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northern Illinois University is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s child development degrees to qualified students.

NIU also took the #8 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $18,346 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at NIU

#12 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for SIUE is $13,705 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#9 in overall quality

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Child development 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 #4 spot on the list. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.

SIUC also took the #9 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,985 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Full SIUC Early Childhood Education Report

#5

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Illinois State University is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 63 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $19,080 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Illinois State.

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%.

Full Illinois State University Early Childhood Education Report

#6

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

Saint Xavier University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. SXU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SXU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,907 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SXU.

Full SXU Early Childhood Education Report

#7

Judson University

Elgin, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Judson University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Elgin, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Judson did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Judson University is $15,971 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development 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.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Judson University

#8

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

Governors State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Located in University Park, Illinois, this small public school handed out 19 degrees to qualified bachelors’s child development students in 2019-2020.

GSU also made our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for Governors State University is $11,872 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at GSU

#9

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Millikin University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Decatur, Illinois, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Millikin, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Millikin University is $20,390 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development 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.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Millikin University

#10

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, National Louis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 132 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

NLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for National Louis University is $16,888 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at NLU

#11

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Concordia University, Chicago ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k list, Concordia University, Chicago has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $17,295 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Concordia University, Chicago.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Concordia University, Chicago

#12

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 10 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst also took the #5 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst is $19,703 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Early Childhood Education at Elmhurst

#13

Quincy University

Quincy, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Quincy University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. This small school is located in Quincy, Illinois, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Quincy U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Quincy University is $16,717 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Quincy University

#14 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 12 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northeastern Illinois University, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $18,180 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Northeastern Illinois University

#15

North Park University

Chicago, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

North Park University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. North Park is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 1 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

North Park also took the #10 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Park University is $18,813 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development 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.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at North Park University

#16

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene University is $17,841 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development 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%.

Full Olivet Nazarene University Early Childhood Education Report

#17

Chicago State University

Chicago, Illinois
#23 in overall quality

Chicago State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

CSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSU is $10,023 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Chicago State University

#18

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Bradley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. Bradley University is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 8 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley also took the #4 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bradley University is $22,865 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Bradley University Early Childhood Education Report

#19

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

Roosevelt University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

Roosevelt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Roosevelt University is $21,870 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Roosevelt University Early Childhood Education Report

#20

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, DePaul University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul also made our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $28,075 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend DePaul University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Early Childhood Education at DePaul

#21

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola University Chicago is $32,259 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Early Childhood Education at Loyola Chicago

#22

Rockford University

Rockford, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Rockford University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Rockford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rockford, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Rockford also took the #20 spot in our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Rockford University is $19,975 for illinois bachelor’s degree child development 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 Rockford University Early Childhood Education Report

#23

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#18 in overall quality

Columbia College Chicago landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Child development Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Columbia College Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also made our “Best Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Columbia College Chicago is $31,071 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Child development students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Columbia College Chicago

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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 Vgrigas.

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