2026 Best Value Health Education Schools in Illinois
[Health Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/health-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong health education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for health education students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Health Education Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the health education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Health Education Schools
Western Illinois University tops our 2026 list of the best value health education schools in Illinois. Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Macomb. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,572. Students borrow a median of $27,639 to complete the health education program here. Soon after graduation, health education degree recipients from Western Illinois University generally make around $50,756. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
Northern Illinois University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value health education schools. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,060. Health Education graduates carry a median of $26,746 in student loans. Soon after graduation, health education degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $52,308. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Illinois University admits about 70% of applicants.
Eastern Illinois University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value health education schools. Set in the town of Charleston, Eastern Illinois University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,377, with out-of-state students paying around $15,859. Health Education graduates carry a median of $28,866 in student loans. Health Education graduates of Eastern Illinois University earn a median of $38,821 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 65%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned it the #4 place for health education. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. In-state tuition and fees average $13,334. Typical student debt for health education graduates is $21,182. Health Education graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $51,816 early in their careers. Set against $21,182 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Illinois State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value health education schools. Set in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, compared with $26,058 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,149 to complete the health education program here. Health Education graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $50,102 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,149 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
More Health Education Rankings
View All Health Education Rankings >
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 · 5 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.
