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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for English Language & Literature (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

26 Ranked Colleges
1,368 Degrees Awarded
$28,592 Avg Salary
Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

English Language & Literature is the 16th most popular major in the country with 56,860 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, English language and literature graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $27,873 and had an average of $24,681 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 1,707 English language and literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,329 and $24,956 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,368 English language and literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 26 colleges that offered a degree in English language and literature. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great English language and literature 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 English language and literature program at the school. 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 English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

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

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

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 55 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $6,452 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern University.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Northwestern University English Language & Literature Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 84 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $7,934 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UChicago English Language & Literature Report

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 161 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,351 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature 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 English Language & Literature at UIUC

#8 in overall quality

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #4 spot on the list. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 84 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIC is $13,683 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature 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 English Language & Literature at University of Illinois at Chicago

#5

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Illinois University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 60 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $18,346 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northern Illinois University.

Full Northern Illinois University English Language & Literature Report

#6

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#18 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

EIU also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend EIU is $13,560 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Eastern Illinois University

#19 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

SIUE did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,705 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SIUE.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville English Language & Literature Report

#8

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Governors State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. University Park, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to 20 students in 2019-2020.

GSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Governors State University is $11,872 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Governors State University

#8

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $19,691 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 English Language & Literature at Wheaton College Illinois

#10

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Aurora University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Aurora is a medium-sized school located in Aurora, Illinois that handed out 16 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Aurora also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Aurora is $15,881 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature 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 English Language & Literature at Aurora University

#11

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Illinois State University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 108 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also took the #6 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $19,080 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State University English Language & Literature Report

#12

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Elmhurst University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Elmhurst, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst also took the #10 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst is $19,703 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature 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 full report on English Language & Literature at Elmhurst University

#23 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 26 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k list, SIUC has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $14,985 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full SIUC English Language & Literature Report

#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 47 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern Illinois University is $18,180 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Northeastern Illinois University

#15

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

Knox College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Galesburg, Illinois, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $19,653 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Knox.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Knox

#16

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Augustana College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Augustana College is located in Rock Island, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

Augustana did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $21,453 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Augustana.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Augustana

#17

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

WIU also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $15,912 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full WIU English Language & Literature Report

#18

McKendree University

Lebanon, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

McKendree University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. McKendree University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lebanon, Illinois. It awarded 10 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

McKendree also took the #14 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for McKendree University is $19,851 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about English Language & Literature at McKendree University

#19

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

North Central College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. North Central College is located in Naperville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

North Central also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend North Central College is $23,353 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at North Central

#20

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

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

Illinois College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,942 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Illinois College.

Full Illinois College English Language & Literature Report

#21

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

Roosevelt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Roosevelt, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $21,870 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Roosevelt University.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Roosevelt

#22

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Illinois Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bloomington, Illinois. It awarded 16 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k list, Illinois Wesleyan has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan University is $23,309 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 full report on English Language & Literature at Illinois Wesleyan

#23

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, DePaul University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 67 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend DePaul University is $28,075 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full DePaul University English Language & Literature Report

#24

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 55 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Chicago, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $32,259 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Loyola Chicago.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on English Language & Literature at Loyola University Chicago

#25

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

Columbia College Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. Columbia College Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students whose families make $48-$75k list, Columbia has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia College Chicago is $31,071 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Columbia College Chicago English Language & Literature Report

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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 Mike Hazard.

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