Best value colleges in Illinois
Every Illinois college we have data for, ranked by 10-year return on investment.
236
Colleges
$16,012
Avg net price as of 2024
$50,800
Median earnings as of 2024
$14,151
Median debt as of 2024
Top colleges in Illinois
Showing the top 150 of 236 by ROI — sort the table, or use the finder to filter all Illinois colleges by cost, earnings and major.
| # | College | Type | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joliet Junior College Joliet, IL | Public | $67,434 | $1,672 | $9,711 | +3,159% | Strong return | |
| 2 | City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College Chicago, IL | Public | $93,573 | $7,886 | $4,500 | +2,690% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills, IL | Public | $58,348 | $2,829 | $9,500 | +1,364% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Oakton College Des Plaines, IL | Public | $62,031 | $5,183 | $5,250 | +1,287% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Kankakee Community College Kankakee, IL | Public | $56,277 | $4,665 | $9,969 | +770% | Strong return | |
| 6 | City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College Chicago, IL | Public | $57,897 | $6,375 | $6,500 | +753% | Strong return | |
| 7 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $95,040 | $14,860 | $15,000 | +671% | Strong return | |
| 8 | McHenry County College Crystal Lake, IL | Public | $55,963 | $7,042 | $6,260 | +570% | Strong return | |
| 9 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL | Private | $96,455 | $18,425 | $25,000 | +521% | Strong return | |
| 10 | Rock Valley College Rockford, IL | Public | $53,012 | $5,242 | $8,500 | +490% | Strong return | |
| 11 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL | Public | $74,399 | $10,974 | $16,704 | +488% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Elgin Community College Elgin, IL | Public | $53,137 | $6,026 | $7,390 | +452% | Strong return | |
| 13 | MDT College of Health Sciences Chicago, IL | For-profit | $64,733 | $30,833 | $19,500 | +420% | Strong return | |
| 14 | Carl Sandburg College Galesburg, IL | Public | $49,524 | $3,662 | $4,909 | +396% | Strong return | |
| 15 | University of St Francis Joliet, IL | Private | $74,400 | $13,006 | $21,079 | +392% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Private | $104,154 | $29,167 | $15,000 | +384% | Strong return | |
| 17 | Danville Area Community College Danville, IL | Public | $50,874 | $4,777 | $7,218 | +382% | Strong return | |
| 18 | Chamberlain University-Illinois Addison, IL | For-profit | $104,908 | $31,837 | $20,919 | +344% | Strong return | |
| 19 | William Rainey Harper College Palatine, IL | Public | $56,906 | $11,607 | $10,184 | +342% | Strong return | |
| 20 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | Public | $73,526 | $14,355 | $19,500 | +342% | Strong return | |
| 21 | Graham Hospital School of Nursing Canton, IL | Private | $63,039 | $21,228 | — | +325% | Strong return | |
| 22 | Triton College River Grove, IL | Public | $49,868 | $4,138 | $9,413 | +316% | Strong return | |
| 23 | Saint Xavier University Chicago, IL | Private | $63,888 | $10,970 | $22,223 | +263% | Strong return | |
| 24 | University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, IL | Public | $61,787 | $9,833 | $19,128 | +263% | Strong return | |
| 25 | Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Olney, IL | Public | $52,879 | $10,092 | $6,500 | +249% | Strong return | |
| 26 | John A Logan College Carterville, IL | Public | $48,824 | $5,541 | — | +245% | Strong return | |
| 27 | Kaskaskia College Centralia, IL | Public | $49,711 | $6,477 | $3,750 | +229% | Strong return | |
| 28 | Capital Area Career Center Springfield, IL | Public | $51,437 | $16,797 | $9,500 | +218% | Strong return | |
| 29 | Concordia University-Chicago River Forest, IL | Private | $70,672 | $18,436 | $23,000 | +213% | Strong return | |
| 30 | Dominican University River Forest, IL | Private | $62,347 | $11,745 | $24,411 | +211% | Strong return | |
| 31 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL | Public | $63,964 | $13,391 | $22,162 | +208% | Strong return | |
| 32 | National Louis University Chicago, IL | Private | $62,229 | $12,641 | $19,750 | +198% | Strong return | |
| 33 | Parkland College Champaign, IL | Public | $50,169 | $8,048 | $8,548 | +169% | Strong return | |
| 34 | Worsham College of Mortuary Science Wheeling, IL | For-profit | $60,529 | $26,781 | $15,024 | +163% | Strong return | |
| 35 | Lewis University Romeoville, IL | Private | $64,757 | $17,028 | $21,500 | +160% | Strong return | |
| 36 | Illinois Central College East Peoria, IL | Public | $52,586 | $12,961 | $8,900 | +160% | Strong return | |
| 37 | Benedictine University Lisle, IL | Private | $69,653 | $22,313 | $22,500 | +153% | Strong return | |
| 38 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College Chicago, IL | Public | $49,584 | $7,863 | $6,997 | +151% | Strong return | |
| 39 | Governors State University University Park, IL | Public | $58,832 | $12,329 | $18,618 | +147% | Strong return | |
| 40 | Aurora University Aurora, IL | Private | $64,971 | $18,838 | $20,318 | +141% | Strong return | |
| 41 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL | Public | $61,148 | $14,889 | $20,500 | +141% | Strong return | |
| 42 | Trinity International University-Illinois Deerfield, IL | Private | $50,005 | $2,835 | $26,082 | +140% | Strong return | |
| 43 | Career Center of Southern Illinois Red Bud, IL | Public | $52,092 | $25,204 | $15,170 | +131% | Strong return | |
| 44 | Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL | Private | $72,596 | $28,199 | $27,000 | +125% | Strong return | |
| 45 | Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove, IL | Public | $50,683 | $11,442 | $7,000 | +123% | Strong return | |
| 46 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL | Public | $58,722 | $14,109 | $14,600 | +122% | Strong return | |
| 47 | Judson University Elgin, IL | Private | $63,454 | $18,558 | $25,000 | +121% | Strong return | |
| 48 | North Central College Naperville, IL | Private | $65,055 | $21,044 | $24,500 | +115% | Strong return | |
| 49 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL | Public | $57,664 | $13,297 | $21,543 | +108% | Strong return | |
| 50 | North Park University Chicago, IL | Private | $60,960 | $16,948 | $25,500 | +107% | Strong return | |
| 51 | Illinois State University Normal, IL | Public | $62,331 | $19,398 | $20,482 | +104% | Strong return | |
| 52 | DePaul University Chicago, IL | Private | $68,739 | $30,902 | $23,168 | +80% | Strong return | |
| 53 | College of Lake County Grayslake, IL | Public | $48,288 | $7,607 | $8,735 | +79% | Strong return | |
| 54 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL | Public | $55,208 | $12,786 | $21,500 | +73% | Strong return | |
| 55 | Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL | Private | $62,863 | $24,185 | $20,489 | +71% | Strong return | |
| 56 | Rasmussen University-Illinois Rockford, IL | For-profit | $53,071 | $19,854 | $20,899 | +71% | Strong return | |
| 57 | DeVry University-Illinois Lisle, IL | For-profit | $67,509 | $30,770 | $24,807 | +70% | Strong return | |
| 58 | Lincoln Land Community College Springfield, IL | Public | $47,122 | $4,299 | $11,011 | +68% | Strong return | |
| 59 | Methodist College Peoria, IL | Private | $73,700 | $41,787 | $31,250 | +61% | Break-even | |
| 60 | Universal Technical Institute of Illinois Inc Lisle, IL | For-profit | $54,442 | $27,060 | $13,124 | +60% | Break-even | |
| 61 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $68,766 | $36,079 | $24,157 | +55% | Break-even | |
| 62 | Bradley University Peoria, IL | Private | $60,131 | $22,719 | $27,000 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 63 | Augustana College Rock Island, IL | Private | $60,113 | $22,736 | $27,000 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 64 | Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais, IL | Private | $58,565 | $20,729 | $25,000 | +47% | Break-even | |
| 65 | Roosevelt University Chicago, IL | Private | $58,040 | $20,194 | $22,000 | +47% | Break-even | |
| 66 | Richland Community College Decatur, IL | Public | $46,484 | $3,741 | $8,256 | +42% | Break-even | |
| 67 | Heartland Community College Normal, IL | Public | $48,769 | $12,013 | $7,826 | +40% | Break-even | |
| 68 | Lewis and Clark Community College Godfrey, IL | Public | $46,244 | $3,349 | $6,751 | +36% | Break-even | |
| 69 | Blackburn College Carlinville, IL | Private | $55,865 | $18,460 | $24,242 | +31% | Break-even | |
| 70 | College of DuPage Glen Ellyn, IL | Public | $47,311 | $7,401 | $10,410 | +24% | Break-even | |
| 71 | VanderCook College of Music Chicago, IL | Private | $55,898 | $19,780 | $27,000 | +23% | Break-even | |
| 72 | Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, IL | Private | $55,276 | $19,125 | $25,009 | +20% | Break-even | |
| 73 | Quincy University Quincy, IL | Private | $55,598 | $20,359 | $24,000 | +18% | Break-even | |
| 74 | Chicago State University Chicago, IL | Public | $52,095 | $12,335 | $30,625 | +17% | Break-even | |
| 75 | Western Illinois University Macomb, IL | Public | $52,097 | $12,937 | $25,251 | +16% | Break-even | |
| 76 | McKendree University Lebanon, IL | Private | $57,450 | $24,717 | $23,250 | +16% | Break-even | |
| 77 | Highland Community College Freeport, IL | Public | $46,638 | $5,713 | $8,029 | +14% | Break-even | |
| 78 | Sauk Valley Community College Dixon, IL | Public | $47,061 | $8,493 | $8,250 | +3% | Break-even | |
| 79 | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Chicago Chicago, IL | For-profit | $51,767 | $27,347 | $31,301 | +2% | Break-even | |
| 80 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL | Private | $57,360 | $28,673 | $26,158 | -1% | Poor return | |
| 81 | Illinois College Jacksonville, IL | Private | $52,970 | $18,298 | $25,565 | -3% | Poor return | |
| 82 | Wheaton College Wheaton, IL | Private | $55,417 | $26,975 | $23,250 | -11% | Poor return | |
| 83 | Kishwaukee College Malta, IL | Public | $46,064 | $4,574 | $9,395 | -15% | Poor return | |
| 84 | Millikin University Decatur, IL | Private | $51,221 | $21,989 | $27,000 | -36% | Poor return | |
| 85 | Rockford University Rockford, IL | Private | $50,373 | $22,436 | $22,274 | -45% | Poor return | |
| 86 | Black Hawk College Moline, IL | Public | $45,862 | $6,944 | $8,375 | -49% | Poor return | |
| 87 | Knox College Galesburg, IL | Private | $50,235 | $24,595 | $27,000 | -52% | Poor return | |
| 88 | Illinois Valley Community College Oglesby, IL | Public | $45,286 | $2,232 | $8,233 | -62% | Poor return | |
| 89 | Eureka College Eureka, IL | Private | $47,675 | $17,349 | $23,250 | -66% | Poor return | |
| 90 | Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose Park Melrose Park, IL | For-profit | $46,639 | $25,598 | $11,250 | -70% | Poor return | |
| 91 | Monmouth College Monmouth, IL | Private | $47,083 | $17,133 | $27,000 | -73% | Poor return | |
| 92 | East-West University Chicago, IL | Private | $47,174 | $21,697 | $26,986 | -78% | Poor return | |
| 93 | Greenville University Greenville, IL | Private | $45,903 | $19,533 | $23,875 | -90% | Poor return | |
| 94 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $45,534 | $26,598 | $25,000 | -95% | Poor return | |
| 95 | Moody Bible Institute Chicago, IL | Private | $45,065 | $22,221 | $18,149 | -99% | Poor return | |
| 96 | ETI School of Skilled Trades Willowbrook, IL | For-profit | $45,011 | $22,126 | $9,500 | -100% | Poor return | |
| 97 | School of the Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL | Private | $42,940 | $49,790 | $27,000 | -110% | Poor return | |
| 98 | Southwestern Illinois College Belleville, IL | Public | $44,263 | $10,427 | $6,908 | -132% | Poor return | |
| 99 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College Chicago, IL | Public | $43,880 | $7,397 | $5,750 | -166% | Poor return | |
| 100 | Midwestern Career College Chicago, IL | For-profit | $40,237 | $20,462 | $7,521 | -209% | Poor return | |
| 101 | Fox College Tinley Park, IL | For-profit | $41,368 | $13,109 | $16,209 | -213% | Poor return | |
| 102 | Prairie State College Chicago Heights, IL | Public | $42,811 | $4,738 | $11,000 | -262% | Poor return | |
| 103 | Morton College Cicero, IL | Public | $41,713 | $5,191 | $8,000 | -347% | Poor return | |
| 104 | John Wood Community College Quincy, IL | Public | $40,099 | $7,050 | $8,029 | -388% | Poor return | |
| 105 | Rend Lake College Ina, IL | Public | $38,609 | $9,187 | $5,809 | -412% | Poor return | |
| 106 | State Career College Gurnee, IL | For-profit | $35,468 | $26,376 | $9,500 | -420% | Poor return | |
| 107 | Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College Rockford, IL | For-profit | $29,522 | $21,601 | $14,302 | -420% | Poor return | |
| 108 | Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois Springfield, IL | For-profit | $33,923 | $27,793 | $9,500 | -454% | Poor return | |
| 109 | First Institute of Travel Inc. Crystal Lake, IL | For-profit | $35,222 | $20,528 | $9,500 | -508% | Poor return | |
| 110 | G Skin & Beauty Institute Oakbrook, IL | For-profit | $33,521 | $24,194 | $7,917 | -524% | Poor return | |
| 111 | Illinois Media School Chicago, IL | For-profit | $31,890 | $27,238 | $9,500 | -527% | Poor return | |
| 112 | Illinois Media School-Chicago Campus Chicago, IL | For-profit | $31,890 | $26,435 | $9,500 | -539% | Poor return | |
| 113 | City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College Chicago, IL | Public | $35,103 | $9,038 | $7,646 | -574% | Poor return | |
| 114 | The Aveda Institute of Beauty and Wellness Chicago Chicago, IL | For-profit | $27,574 | $33,008 | $7,917 | -586% | Poor return | |
| 115 | University of Aesthetics & Cosmetology Chicago, IL | For-profit | $34,757 | $17,185 | $7,917 | -610% | Poor return | |
| 116 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Glendale Heights Glendale Heights, IL | For-profit | $30,325 | $24,384 | $7,307 | -643% | Poor return | |
| 117 | Taylor Business Institute Chicago, IL | For-profit | $29,558 | $12,982 | — | -695% | Poor return | |
| 118 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NE Chicago, IL | For-profit | $30,325 | $19,279 | $7,307 | -769% | Poor return | |
| 119 | G Skin & Beauty Institute Schaumburg, IL | For-profit | $27,906 | $21,847 | $6,333 | -808% | Poor return | |
| 120 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Libertyville Libertyville, IL | For-profit | $27,134 | $22,123 | $7,307 | -821% | Poor return | |
| 121 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Chicago NW Chicago, IL | For-profit | $26,907 | $21,856 | $7,307 | -838% | Poor return | |
| 122 | Paul Mitchell the School-Chicago Chicago, IL | For-profit | $23,886 | $23,324 | $13,598 | -847% | Poor return | |
| 123 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Elgin Elgin, IL | For-profit | $27,134 | $20,671 | $7,307 | -866% | Poor return | |
| 124 | Paul Mitchell the School-Tinley Park Tinley Park, IL | For-profit | $22,958 | $22,862 | $7,917 | -956% | Poor return | |
| 125 | Hair Professionals Career College Sycamore, IL | For-profit | $25,121 | $19,133 | $9,833 | -975% | Poor return | |
| 126 | Universal Spa Training Academy Downers Grove, IL | For-profit | $23,276 | $21,965 | $7,283 | -982% | Poor return | |
| 127 | Lake Land College Mattoon, IL | Public | $38,745 | $2,254 | $6,188 | -1,025% | Poor return | |
| 128 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Peoria Peoria, IL | For-profit | $20,563 | $23,433 | $7,307 | -1,036% | Poor return | |
| 129 | University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts Springfield, IL | For-profit | $28,131 | $16,000 | $4,584 | -1,055% | Poor return | |
| 130 | Hair Professionals School of Cosmetology Oswego, IL | For-profit | $23,149 | $19,050 | $9,833 | -1,065% | Poor return | |
| 131 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Rockford Rockford, IL | For-profit | $21,552 | $20,655 | $7,307 | -1,106% | Poor return | |
| 132 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Bridgeview Bridgeview, IL | For-profit | $22,035 | $19,980 | $7,307 | -1,114% | Poor return | |
| 133 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Normal Normal, IL | For-profit | $20,563 | $21,050 | $7,307 | -1,131% | Poor return | |
| 134 | Empire Beauty School-Stone Park Stone Park, IL | For-profit | $22,594 | $16,751 | $13,583 | -1,133% | Poor return | |
| 135 | South Suburban College South Holland, IL | Public | $38,114 | $3,242 | — | -1,162% | Poor return | |
| 136 | Cosmetology Concepts Niles Niles, IL | For-profit | $21,454 | $21,916 | — | -1,174% | Poor return | |
| 137 | Tricoci University of Beauty Culture Urbana, IL | For-profit | $14,237 | $25,061 | $9,000 | -1,186% | Poor return | |
| 138 | Cameo Beauty Academy Oak Lawn, IL | For-profit | $26,347 | $12,924 | $10,929 | -1,203% | Poor return | |
| 139 | Empire Beauty School-Vernon Hills Vernon Hills, IL | For-profit | $22,594 | $14,906 | $13,583 | -1,228% | Poor return | |
| 140 | Hair Professionals Career College Palos Hills, IL | For-profit | $23,539 | $15,405 | $9,500 | -1,238% | Poor return | |
| 141 | Capri Beauty College New Lenox, IL | For-profit | $21,798 | $16,577 | $9,833 | -1,251% | Poor return | |
| 142 | Gem City College Quincy, IL | For-profit | $25,439 | $11,843 | $9,833 | -1,368% | Poor return | |
| 143 | Oehrlein School of Cosmetology East Peoria, IL | For-profit | $25,523 | $11,671 | $9,833 | -1,377% | Poor return | |
| 144 | Debutantes School of Cosmetology and Nail Technology Dekalb, IL | For-profit | $24,462 | $12,133 | $7,917 | -1,468% | Poor return | |
| 145 | John Amico School of Hair Design Oak Forest, IL | For-profit | $15,792 | $18,035 | $7,917 | -1,496% | Poor return | |
| 146 | Estelle Skin Care and Spa Institute Skokie, IL | For-profit | $21,047 | $14,488 | $7,136 | -1,502% | Poor return | |
| 147 | Pivot Point Academy Bloomingdale, IL | For-profit | $24,850 | $9,920 | $9,833 | -1,592% | Poor return | |
| 148 | Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Sterling Sterling, IL | For-profit | $20,138 | $12,391 | $9,833 | -1,656% | Poor return | |
| 149 | Shawnee Community College Ullin, IL | Public | $31,255 | $4,162 | — | -1,751% | Poor return | |
| 150 | Educators of Beauty College of Cosmetology-Rockford Rockford, IL | For-profit | $20,138 | $11,174 | $9,833 | -1,785% | Poor return |
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.