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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

11 Ranked Colleges
96 Degrees Awarded
$25,700 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master's in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 48,597 people earned their degree in political science and government, making the major the 21st most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, political science and government graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,977 and had an average of $22,822 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 1,532 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,277 and $22,016 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 96 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 11 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in political science and government. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great political science and government programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the political science and government program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Political Science & Government Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools 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 Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

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

Top 11 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 13 masters’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Northwestern

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s political science degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Chicago

#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 Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 4 masters’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree political science students whose families make $30-$48k list, UIUC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at UIUC

#8 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 #4 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. UIS is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIS are $16,757, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#5

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Eastern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. EIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 13 masters’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU also made our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #6. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at EIU are $20,761.

Full EIU Political Science & Government Report

#5 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 3 masters’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Chicago are $27,036, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UIC

#7

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also made our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #0. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northern Illinois University are $11,086.

Full Northern Illinois University Political Science & Government Report

#8

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

With a ranking of #8, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Western Illinois University is a public institution located in Macomb, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at WIU are $11,996, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Western Illinois University

#10 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northeastern Illinois University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 masters’s political science degrees to qualified students.

Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Political Science & Government Report

#10

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

With a ranking of #10, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s political science degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also took the #7 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State University are $11,069, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Illinois State University Political Science & Government Report

#11

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Loyola University Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s political science degrees to qualified students.

Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Political Science & Government Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola University Chicago are $19,154.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Loyola 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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