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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

18 Ranked Colleges
791 Degrees Awarded
$14,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Social Work is the 12th most popular major in the country with 57,618 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, social work graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,459 and had an average of $30,084 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 2,654 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,589 and $33,608 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 791 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in social work. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social work programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the social work program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The social work school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 78 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $5,477 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at UIUC

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #2 spot on the list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 38 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE also took the #7 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $8,055 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Work at SIUE

#3

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Governors State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. GSU is a small school located in University Park, Illinois that handed out 44 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

GSU also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Governors State University is $10,872 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Work at Governors State University

#4

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Aurora University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Aurora, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 141 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

Aurora also took the #2 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,103 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Aurora.

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%.

Full Aurora University Social Work Report

#5

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 39 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, WIU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $13,942 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend WIU.

Full Western Illinois University Social Work Report

#6

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 51 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $14,470 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois State University.

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%.

Read more about Social Work at Illinois State University

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIS is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

UIS also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $9,771 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIS.

Read more about Social Work at UIS

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

SIUC also took the #10 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $13,658 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full SIUC Social Work Report

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northeastern Illinois University has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,816 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Social Work Report

#10

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bradley University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 20 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $17,205 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bradley University.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Work at Bradley University

#11

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

University of St Francis ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Saint Francis, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,847 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of St Francis.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at University of St Francis

#12

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Augustine College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. St. Augustine College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, St. Augustine College has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Augustine College is $11,691 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Saint Augustine College Social Work Report

#13

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Millikin is a private not-for-profit institution located in Decatur, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Millikin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Millikin University is $17,656 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 Millikin University Social Work Report

#14

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Olivet Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene University is $15,806 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read full report on Social Work at Olivet Nazarene

#15

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

National Louis University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. National Louis University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,178 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend National Louis University.

Full NLU Social Work Report

#16

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 17 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, Concordia University, Chicago has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,097 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Concordia University, Chicago.

Read full report on Social Work at Concordia University, Chicago

#17

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, Illinois

Trinity Christian College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Trinity Christian is a small school located in Palos Heights, Illinois that handed out 7 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, Trinity Christian has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Trinity Christian College is $16,611 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 Trinity Christian Social Work Report

#18

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 44 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola University Chicago is $29,440 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 Social Work at Loyola 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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