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2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

34 Ranked Colleges
1,397 Degrees Awarded
$13,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

Political Science is the 14th most popular major in the country with 46,740 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across Illinois, there were 1,532 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,397 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 34 colleges that offered a degree in political science. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality political science programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the political science program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 121 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #2 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $3,995 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northwestern.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 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 Political Science 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 Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 106 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $2,800 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 100%.

Read more about Political Science at UChicago

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 259 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $8,464 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Political Science at UIUC

#18 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 30 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k list, SIUE has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $9,938 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Political Science at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#22 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. UIS is a small public school situated in Springfield, Illinois. It awarded 19 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Springfield is $8,323 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at University of Illinois at Springfield

#10 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 72 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

UIC also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $11,185 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UIC.

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 Political Science at UIC

#7

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

Saint Xavier University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

SXU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Xavier University is $11,962 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at Saint Xavier University

#8

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Charleston, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k list, EIU has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $11,316 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at Eastern Illinois University

#9

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $15,861 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Political Science at NIU

#10

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Illinois State University is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 87 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $14,999 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 more about Political Science at Illinois State

#11

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Knox College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Galesburg, Illinois, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $19,186 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Knox.

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. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Knox College Political Science Report

#12

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

WIU also took the #20 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WIU is $14,526 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at Western Illinois University

#23 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. SIUC is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 31 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUC, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,306 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SIUC.

Read full report on Political Science at SIUC

#14

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Saint Francis, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $11,229 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of St Francis.

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%.

Full University of Saint Francis Political Science Report

#15

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

Illinois College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Jacksonville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

Illinois College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois College is $12,454 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Illinois College Political Science Report

#16

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $16,212 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Political Science at Wheaton College Illinois

#17

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Lake Forest College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Lake Forest is a small school located in Lake Forest, Illinois that handed out 17 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Lake Forest not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $19,152 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Lake Forest.

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%.

Read full report on Political Science at Lake Forest

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Northeastern Illinois University is $15,513 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at Northeastern Illinois University

#19

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Elmhurst University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Elmhurst is a small school located in Elmhurst, Illinois that handed out 14 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst University is $17,837 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full Elmhurst Political Science Report

#20

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Dominican University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dominican University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 8 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Dominican U also took the #25 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $17,586 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 Dominican U Political Science Report

#21

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Bradley University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Peoria, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

Bradley also took the #11 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $18,232 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Bradley University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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 Bradley University Political Science Report

#22

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Augustana College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.

Augustana not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $16,249 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Augustana Political Science Report

#23

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Illinois Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bloomington, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Wesleyan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan is $19,857 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Political Science at Illinois Wesleyan

#24

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene University is $15,390 for illinois bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 Political Science at Olivet Nazarene

#25

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k 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.

The yearly cost to attend Concordia University, Chicago is $15,406 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at Concordia University, 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.

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