2026 Best Value Artificial Intelligence Schools in Illinois
[Artificial Intelligence](/majors/computer-information-sciences/computer-information-systems-cis/artificial-intelligence/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value artificial intelligence schools.
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2026 Best Value Artificial Intelligence Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the artificial intelligence degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Artificial Intelligence Schools
Our analysis ranked Illinois Institute Of Technology the best value for a degree in artificial intelligence in Illinois. Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students from in state pay about $52,202 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for artificial intelligence graduates is $24,750. Early-career artificial intelligence graduates make about $73,644. Set against $24,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Illinois Institute Of Technology admits about 55% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in artificial intelligence will find it at Northwestern University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for artificial intelligence graduates is $16,616. Artificial Intelligence graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $78,551 early in their careers. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
Depaul University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in artificial intelligence, landing the #3 spot this year. Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Artificial Intelligence graduates carry a median of $24,321 in student loans. Artificial Intelligence graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $58,220 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 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.
