2027 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Illinois
[Social Studies Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/social-studies-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong social studies education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for social studies education students.
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2027 Best Value Social Studies Education Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social studies education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Studies Education Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of St Francis the best value for a degree in social studies education in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Joliet, University Of St Francis is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $38,110 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,695 to complete the social studies education program here. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from University Of St Francis generally make around $59,586. That is a strong return on a $25,695 median debt. University Of St Francis admits about 65% of applicants.
Bradley University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social studies education, landing the #2 spot this year. Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Peoria. Students from in state pay about $42,160 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for social studies education graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, social studies education degree recipients from Bradley University generally make around $42,917. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Augustana College Illinois one of the best values for social studies education. Set in the city of Rock Island, Augustana College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $51,598. Social Studies Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career social studies education graduates make about $39,096. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Augustana College Illinois admits about 63% of applicants.
More Social Studies 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
