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2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

34 Ranked Colleges
1,532 Degrees Awarded
$13,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

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 Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 34 colleges that offer a degree in political science. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent political science programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the political science program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Political Science Schools

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 in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most 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 Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

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

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

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 149 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern also took the #1 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $3,995 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k 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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on Political Science at Northwestern University

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 126 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

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

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Chicago Political Science Report

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 Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 268 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $8,464 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Political Science at UIUC

Out of the 34 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Springfield, Illinois, this small public school awarded 41 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

UIS also took the #16 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $8,323 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UIS.

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

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 30 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE also took the #19 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $9,938 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Political Science at SIUE

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 78 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #12 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIC is $11,185 for illinois 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 more about Political Science at UIC

#7

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Saint Xavier University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 13 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SXU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $11,962 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SXU.

Full Saint Xavier University Political Science Report

#8

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 40 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $11,316 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Eastern Illinois University.

Read more about Political Science at Eastern Illinois University

#9

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 91 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k list, NIU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,861 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northern Illinois University.

Full Northern Illinois University Political Science Report

#10

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

With a ranking of #10, Knox College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Galesburg, Illinois, and it awarded 11 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $19,186 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. 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 full report on Political Science at Knox College

#11

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Illinois State is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 96 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k list, Illinois State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State University is $14,999 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 Political Science Report

Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 32 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $14,306 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Read more about Political Science at SIUC

#13

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

With a ranking of #13, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 26 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $14,526 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Political Science at WIU

#14

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois

University of St Francis came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Joliet, Illinois, and it awarded 7 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Saint Francis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $11,229 for Illinois 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%.

Read more about Political Science at University of Saint Francis

#15

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Illinois College is located in Jacksonville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k list, Illinois College has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $12,454 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Illinois College.

Read more about Political Science at Illinois College

#16

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 17 ’s poly sci degrees 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 Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $16,212 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Political Science at Wheaton College Illinois

#17

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lake Forest is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lake Forest, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Lake Forest also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest College is $19,152 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Lake Forest

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 25 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $15,513 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Political Science at Northeastern Illinois University

#19

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 14 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

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

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%.

Full Elmhurst University Political Science Report

#20

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Dominican University is a small school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 8 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dominican U, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dominican U is $17,586 for illinois 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

Bradley University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Bradley is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 20 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley is $18,232 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read full report on Political Science at Bradley

#22

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Augustana is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rock Island, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana is $16,249 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 full report on Political Science at Augustana College

#23

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Bloomington, Illinois, and it awarded 7 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Wesleyan also took the #5 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan is $19,857 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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 in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Olivet Nazarene University is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,390 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.

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 Political Science Report

#25

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. 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 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,406 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Concordia University, Chicago.

Read full report on Political Science at Concordia University, Chicago

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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