2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Illinois
[Geological & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 14 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value geological & earth sciences schools.
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2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geological & earth sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
For return on investment in geological & earth sciences, no school beat University Of Illinois At Chicago this year. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Chicago generally make around $37,280. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $23,250. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $38,867. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Illinois State University one of the best values for geological & earth sciences. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, compared with $26,058 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $21,896. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $49,660. That is a strong return on a $21,896 median debt. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
