2027 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Illinois

[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general social sciences education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general social sciences schools.
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2027 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general social sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Social Sciences Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Chicago the best value for a degree in general social sciences in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,324. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $15,854 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $53,788. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general social sciences will find it at North Central College, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Naperville, North Central College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $45,726 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,699 to complete the general social sciences program here. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from North Central College generally make around $46,247. Set against $25,699 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Northwestern University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general social sciences, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,322. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $16,616. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $78,551. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
More General Social Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 3 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.