by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
Our analysis looked at 46 schools in Illinois to determine which ones have the best value Associate Degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking is determined by first looking at the combined costs of average tuition, fees, and room and board before any aid is applied. 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 consider a college'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.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
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:
Elgin Community College tops this year’s ranking as the best value (no aid) school for associate degrees in Illinois for overall quality. Elgin Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Elgin, Illinois.
Not only is Elgin Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in Illinois for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,765 a year for undergraduates.
The quality degree programs at College of Lake County helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois. College of Lake County is a fairly large public school located in Grayslake, Illinois.
College of Lake County has the honor of being ranked #1 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $20,188 a year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lincoln Land Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list. Located in Springfield, Illinois, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Lincoln Land Community College is ranked #12 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $13,959 a year.
A rank of #4 on our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list means Moraine Valley Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Palos Hills, Illinois, the school is a fairly large public institution.
Moraine Valley Community College has the honor of being ranked #14 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $13,484 a year for undergraduates.
A rank of #5 on our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list means Rasmussen University - Illinois is a great place for students working on their degree. Rasmussen University - Illinois is a small private for-profit school located in Rockford, Illinois.
Rasmussen University - Illinois has the honor of being ranked #2 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $22,604 a year.
City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. Olive-Harvey College is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois.
City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College has the honor of being ranked #5 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,648 a year for undergraduates.
Read full value report on City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College
South Suburban College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking, coming in at #7. SSC is located in South Holland, Illinois and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, South Suburban College is ranked #11 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average cost without aid for the school is $15,433 a year for undergraduates.
Oakton Community College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. Located in Des Plaines, Illinois, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Oakton Community College has the honor of being ranked #9 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $18,465 a year.
With a ranking of #9, City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list. City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College is a medium-sized public school located in Chicago, Illinois.
Not only is City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College a great value, but it is also ranked #10 in Illinois for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,648 a year for undergraduates.
Read full value report on City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College
With a ranking of #10, Danville Area Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list. Danville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Danville Area Community College has the honor of being ranked #25 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,250 a year for undergraduates.
College of DuPage landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. COD is a large public school situated in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
College of DuPage has the honor of being ranked #8 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $21,774 a year for undergraduates.
Prairie State College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. Prairie State College is a public institution located in Chicago Heights, Illinois.
Prairie State College has the honor of being ranked #17 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $16,858 a year for undergraduates.
Triton College landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. Located in River Grove, Illinois, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Not only is Triton College a great value, but it is also ranked #13 in Illinois for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $18,264 a year for undergraduates.
Shawnee Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list. Shawnee Community College is a small public school located in Ullin, Illinois.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Shawnee Community College is ranked #30 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average cost without aid for the school is $12,390 a year for undergraduates.
Southwestern Illinois College landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. SWIC is a public institution located in Belleville, Illinois.
Not only is Southwestern Illinois College a great value, but it is also ranked #33 in Illinois for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $11,060 a year.
Carl Sandburg College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list. This small public school is located in Galesburg, Illinois.
Carl Sandburg College has the honor of being ranked #26 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $14,070 a year.
John Wood Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Quincy, Illinois, the school is a small public institution.
Not only is John Wood Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #24 in Illinois for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $15,090 a year.
William Rainey Harper College landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. Located in Palatine, Illinois, the school is a fairly large public institution.
Not only is William Rainey Harper College a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in Illinois for overall quality. The average cost without aid for the school is $24,300 a year for undergraduates.
Waubonsee Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. Waubonsee Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Sugar Grove, Illinois.
Waubonsee Community College has the honor of being ranked #16 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,140 a year for undergraduates.
City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money 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 - Harry S Truman College is ranked #15 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,648 a year for undergraduates.
Full City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College Value Report
With a ranking of #21, Parkland College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list. Parkland College is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois.
Not only is Parkland College a great value, but it is also ranked #22 in Illinois for overall quality. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $17,080 a year.
Black Hawk College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. BHC is a small public school situated in Moline, Illinois.
Black Hawk College has the honor of being ranked #31 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $14,314 a year for undergraduates.
DeVry University - Illinois landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. DeVry University - Illinois is located in Naperville, Illinois and has a large student population. It is a private for-profit school.
DeVry University - Illinois has the honor of being ranked #3 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost for undergraduates to attend the school if you don’t receive any aid is $28,036 a year.
Rock Valley College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois list. Rock Valley College is located in Rockford, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Rock Valley College is ranked #23 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average cost without aid for the school is $16,880 a year for undergraduates.
City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money in Illinois ranking. Wilbur Wright College is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois.
City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College has the honor of being ranked #18 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average cost without aid for the school is $19,648 a year for undergraduates.
Learn More About Value at City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.