2027 Best Value History Education Schools in Illinois
[History Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/history-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for history education students.
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2027 Best Value History Education Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in history education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value History Education Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Chicago, our #1 best value for history education in Illinois. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,949, compared with $32,009 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for history education graduates is $17,125. Early-career history education graduates make about $58,732. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Saint Xavier University one of the best values for history education. Set in the city of Chicago, Saint Xavier University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $38,945. Students borrow a median of $27,194 to complete the history education program here. Early-career history education graduates make about $51,753. Set against $27,194 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value history education schools. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Students borrow a median of $21,182 to complete the history education program here. Early-career history education graduates make about $51,816. Set against $21,182 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Students looking for strong value in history education will find it at Northeastern Illinois University, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,383, while out-of-state students pay about $22,726. History Education graduates carry a median of $25,250 in student loans. Early-career history education graduates make about $49,254. That is a strong return on a $25,250 median debt. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Trinity Christian College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value history education schools. Trinity Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Palos Heights. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $20,605. History Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. History Education graduates of Trinity Christian College earn a median of $44,538 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Trinity Christian College admits about 85% of applicants.
Bradley University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value history education schools. Located in the city of Peoria, Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $42,160. History Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, history education degree recipients from Bradley University generally make around $54,513. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Augustana College Illinois landed the #7 spot for history education value this year. Located in the city of Rock Island, Augustana College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $51,598. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the history education program here. Early-career history education graduates make about $45,145. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Elmhurst College landed the #8 spot for history education value this year. Set in the suburb of Elmhurst, Elmhurst College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,955. History Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. History Education graduates of Elmhurst College earn a median of $51,232 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Mckendree University came in at #9 for value in history education this year. Located in the suburb of Lebanon, Mckendree University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $34,740. History Education graduates carry a median of $24,362 in student loans. Early-career history education graduates make about $51,068. Set against $24,362 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Mckendree University admits about 72% of applicants.
Depaul University came in at #10 for value in history education this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. History Education graduates carry a median of $26,910 in student loans. Early-career history education graduates make about $52,130. That is a strong return on a $26,910 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
More History Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 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.
