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2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois

40 Ranked Colleges
3,656 Degrees Awarded
$17,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 141,695 general psychology students received their degree, making the major the 4th most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, general psychology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,326 and had an average of $26,018 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 3,656 general psychology graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,183 and $26,525 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 40 colleges that offer a degree in general psychology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general psychology programs, but they also 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 general psychology program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois psychology students.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Psychology in Illinois

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It ranked #1 on our 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 492 ’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,214 for illinois psychology students per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 General Psychology at UIC

2
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Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 175 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois psychology students list, Illinois State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $20,830 for illinois psychology students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Psychology at Illinois State University

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 187 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,462 for illinois psychology students per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read more about General Psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern Illinois University. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 225 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

NIU also made our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $13,956 for Illinois Psychology students.

Read full report on General Psychology at NIU

5

Out of the 40 schools in the Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #5 spot on the list. SIUC is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 125 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

SIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $16,285 for Illinois Psychology students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on General Psychology at SIUC

6
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Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking. Charleston, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s psychology degrees to 103 students in 2020-2021.

EIU also made our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $13,098 for Illinois Psychology students.

Read full report on General Psychology at Eastern Illinois University

7

With a ranking of #7, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 78 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

WIU also made our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $15,305 for Illinois Psychology students per year to attend Western Illinois University.

Read more about General Psychology at Western Illinois University

8
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Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Governors State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking. Governors State University is a small school located in University Park, Illinois that handed out 103 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,436 for illinois psychology students per year to attend Governors State University.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Governors State University General Psychology Report

9

Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #9. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 104 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $14,590 for illinois psychology students.

Read full report on General Psychology at Northeastern Illinois University

10
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National Louis University
Chicago, Illinois

National Louis University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #10. NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 48 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois psychology students list, NLU has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NLU is $14,584 for illinois psychology students.

Read more about General Psychology at NLU

11

University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking. UIS is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 71 ’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $12,034 for illinois psychology students per year to attend UIS.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 General Psychology at University of Illinois at Springfield

12
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Saint Augustine College
Chicago, Illinois

Saint Augustine College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking. St. Augustine College is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 ’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Saint Augustine College is $16,035 for illinois psychology students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full St. Augustine College General Psychology Report

13
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Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. Aurora University is a medium-sized school located in Aurora, Illinois that handed out 70 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

Aurora also made our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Aurora University is $16,994 for illinois psychology students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Aurora General Psychology Report

14
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Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking. CSU is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 53 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Chicago State University is $12,681 for illinois psychology students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about General Psychology at CSU

15
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Concordia University, Chicago
River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking. Concordia University, Chicago is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois psychology students list, Concordia University, Chicago has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $17,051 for Illinois Psychology students per year to attend Concordia University, Chicago.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 Concordia University, Chicago General Psychology Report

16

Illinois Institute of Technology ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. Illinois Tech is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 28 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

Illinois Tech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Tech is $23,772 for Illinois Psychology students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Illinois Tech General Psychology Report

17
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Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #17, Roosevelt University did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s psychology degrees to 100 students in 2020-2021.

Roosevelt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $21,678 for Illinois Psychology students per year to attend Roosevelt University.

Read more about General Psychology at Roosevelt

18
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Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, Illinois

Trinity Christian College did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #18. Trinity Christian College is located in Palos Heights, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 36 ’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Trinity Christian, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $22,135 for illinois psychology students per year to attend Trinity Christian.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about General Psychology at Trinity Christian

19
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Benedictine University
Lisle, Illinois

Benedictine University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Lisle, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 64 diplomas to qualified ’s psychology students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Benedictine U, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Benedictine U is $25,698 for Illinois Psychology students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.9% 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 Benedictine University General Psychology Report

20
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Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #20. This medium-sized school is located in Peoria, Illinois, and it awarded 68 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bradley, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bradley University is $25,196 for Illinois Psychology students.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 General Psychology at Bradley University

21
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Judson University
Elgin, Illinois

Judson University landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking. Judson University is located in Elgin, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 ’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Judson is $19,331 for Illinois Psychology students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Psychology at Judson University

22
Illinois College crest
Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois ranking. Illinois College is a small school located in Jacksonville, Illinois that handed out 23 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

Illinois College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $18,271 for Illinois Psychology students per year to attend Illinois College.

Full Illinois College General Psychology Report

23
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North Park University
Chicago, Illinois

North Park University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. North Park is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 24 ’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for North Park is $18,282 for illinois psychology students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about General Psychology at North Park University

24
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Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s psychology degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.

Wheaton College Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Psychology Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $25,692 for Illinois Psychology students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Psychology at Wheaton College Illinois

25
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McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois

McKendree University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Psychology Schools in Illinois list. Lebanon, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s psychology degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $19,956 for Illinois Psychology students per year to attend McKendree University.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 McKendree University General Psychology Report

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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