College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Education in Illinois

47 Ranked Colleges
5,633 Degrees Awarded
$52,333 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

With 327,871 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, education is the 4th most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $46,202 and had an average of $24,437 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 10,730 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $49,951 and $25,324 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 5,633 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,317 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois” ranking analyzed 47 colleges that offered a degree in education. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in education.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Education Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois master’s degree education students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Education in Illinois

1
VanderCook College of Music crest
VanderCook College of Music
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 47 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, VanderCook College of Music landed the #1 spot on the list. VanderCook College of Music is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 42 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Education at VanderCook College of Music

2
The Erikson Institute crest
Erikson Institute
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Erikson Institute. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 69 diplomas to qualified masters’s education students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at The Erikson Institute

3
Concordia University, Chicago crest
Concordia University, Chicago
River Forest, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Concordia University, Chicago. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 811 masters’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Concordia University, Chicago

4
NLU crest
National Louis University
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend National Louis University. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 789 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2020-2021.

Full National Louis University Education Report

5
University of Saint Francis crest
University of St Francis
Joliet, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of St Francis. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois. Located in Joliet, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 275 diplomas to qualified masters’s education students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of St Francis Education Report

6
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

With a ranking of #6, Olivet Nazarene University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s education degrees to 251 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 more about Education at Olivet Nazarene

7
Rockford crest
Rockford University
Rockford, Illinois

Rockford University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #7. Rockford University is located in Rockford, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 54 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Education at Rockford University

8
Greenville crest
Greenville University
Greenville, Illinois

Greenville University ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. Greenville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s education degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Greenville University

9
North Park crest
North Park University
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, North Park University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. North Park University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 95 masters’s education degrees to qualified 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. 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%.

Read more about Education at North Park

10

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 208 masters’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Education at Northeastern Illinois University

11
McKendree crest
McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, McKendree University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. McKendree University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lebanon, Illinois. It awarded 74 masters’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read full report on Education at McKendree University

12
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 204 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Education at EIU

13
Roosevelt crest
Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #13, Roosevelt University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s education degrees to 131 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Education at Roosevelt University

14

Western Illinois University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. WIU is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 171 masters’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Education at WIU

15
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. Aurora University is located in Aurora, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 176 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 Education at Aurora

16
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking, coming in at #16. This small school is located in River Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 68 masters’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 more about Education at Dominican University

17
Lewis crest
Lewis University
Romeoville, Illinois

Lewis University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. Lewis is located in Romeoville, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 139 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Lewis University Education Report

18
Quincy U crest
Quincy University
Quincy, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, Quincy University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. Quincy University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Quincy, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Education at Quincy U

19

With a ranking of #19, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 328 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Education at NIU

20
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 321 masters’s education degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at DePaul University

21
SXU crest
Saint Xavier University
Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s education degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Education at SXU

22
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s education degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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. 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 more about Education at Wheaton College Illinois

23
CSU crest
Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #23, Chicago State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois list. CSU is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.

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.

Full CSU Education Report

24
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois

North Central College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. Naperville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s education degrees to 35 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 more about Education at North Central College

25
Judson crest
Judson University
Elgin, Illinois

Judson University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Education Major in Illinois ranking. Judson is located in Elgin, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 masters’s education degrees to qualified 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 more about Education at Judson University

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options