by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Illinois Schools For The Money For Those Making $30-$48k ranking - to help you make that decision. The amount of financial aid you could receive at various schools, including some with high sticker prices, may surprise you.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
We analyzed 87 schools across Illinois to determine which have the best value programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best value schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
The first step of determing the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking is to look at the school's average net price for students with families that make $30-$48k a year. The net price is the sum of tuition, fees, and room and board minus any financial aid awarded to the student. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To take this into account we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found University of Chicago to be the best value (income $30-$48k) school in Illinois in this year’s ranking. UChicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Not only is University of Chicago a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,316.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Evanston, Illinois.
Northwestern University has the honor of being ranked #2 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,236.
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list means University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a great place for students working on their degree. This large public school is located in Champaign, Illinois.
Not only is University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign a great value, but it is also ranked #3 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $8,821.
Read full value report on University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Elgin Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. This medium-sized public school is located in Elgin, Illinois.
Not only is Elgin Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #29 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,652.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list means College of Lake County is a great place for students working on their degree. College of Lake County is a public institution located in Grayslake, Illinois.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, College of Lake County is ranked #12 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,633.
With a ranking of #6, College of DuPage did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. COD is a large public school situated in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
College of DuPage has the honor of being ranked #31 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,233.
Joliet Junior College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking. Joliet Junior College is a fairly large public school located in Joliet, Illinois.
Joliet Junior College has the honor of being ranked #53 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $2,662.
City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. This medium-sized public school is located in Chicago, Illinois.
Not only is City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College a great value, but it is also ranked #39 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $4,579.
Learn More About Value at City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College
Waubonsee Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. Waubonsee is a medium-sized public school situated in Sugar Grove, Illinois.
Waubonsee Community College has the honor of being ranked #50 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $3,483.
City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking, coming in at #10. Wilbur Wright College is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois.
Not only is City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College a great value, but it is also ranked #52 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $3,417.
Read full value report on City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College
William Rainey Harper College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. Harper College is a fairly large public school situated in Palatine, Illinois.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, William Rainey Harper College is ranked #25 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,076.
University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. This large public school is located in Chicago, Illinois.
Not only is University of Illinois at Chicago a great value, but it is also ranked #8 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,963.
Lincoln Land Community College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. Lincoln Land Community College is a small public school located in Springfield, Illinois.
Lincoln Land Community College has the honor of being ranked #45 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,818.
South Suburban College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. SSC is a small public school situated in South Holland, Illinois.
Not only is South Suburban College a great value, but it is also ranked #44 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,113.
With a ranking of #15, City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College has the honor of being ranked #49 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,580.
Learn More About Value at City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College
Carl Sandburg College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking. Carl Sandburg College is a small public school situated in Galesburg, Illinois.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Carl Sandburg College is ranked #65 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $3,026.
Triton College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking, coming in at #17. River Grove, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Triton College a great value, but it is also ranked #47 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $4,858.
Oakton Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking, coming in at #18. Des Plaines, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Oakton Community College has the honor of being ranked #37 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $6,195.
Black Hawk College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking. BHC is a public institution located in Moline, Illinois.
Not only is Black Hawk College a great value, but it is also ranked #71 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $2,897.
With a ranking of #20, City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Not only is City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College a great value, but it is also ranked #59 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $4,411.
Read full value report on City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College
Lewis and Clark Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking. Lewis and Clark Community College is located in Godfrey, Illinois and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Lewis and Clark Community College is ranked #67 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,732.
Danville Area Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking, coming in at #22. Danville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Danville Area Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #64 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,207.
Richland Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking. This small public school is located in Decatur, Illinois.
Richland Community College has the honor of being ranked #74 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $3,245.
City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley College is ranked #69 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,526.
Learn More About Value at City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley College
Trinity Christian College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois ranking. Trinity Christian is a private not-for-profit institution located in Palos Heights, Illinois.
Trinity Christian College has the honor of being ranked #43 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $7,369.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.