2026 Best Value Value Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, our #1 best value for value in Illinois. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Students borrow a median of $20,778 to complete the value program here. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $57,461. Set against $20,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Rockford, Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College is a small private for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,699. Typical student debt for value graduates is $21,335. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College generally make around $30,855. Set against $21,335 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Value](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/veterinary-biomedical-and-clinical-sciences/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
