2027 Best Value Industrial Technology/Technician Schools in Illinois
[Industrial Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/industrial-production-technology/industrial-technology-technician/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for industrial technology/technician students.
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2027 Best Value Industrial Technology/Technician Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the industrial technology/technician degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Industrial Technology/Technician Schools
Oakton Community College earned the #1 spot for value among industrial technology/technician schools in Illinois. Located in the city of Des Plaines, Oakton Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,985, while out-of-state students pay about $12,462. Students borrow a median of $7,750 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, industrial technology/technician degree recipients from Oakton Community College generally make around $48,838. Set against $7,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in industrial technology/technician will find it at Highland Community College Freeport, which ranked #2. Highland Community College Freeport is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Freeport. In-state tuition and fees average $4,936, with out-of-state students paying around $7,360. Industrial Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $13,783 in student loans. Soon after graduation, industrial technology/technician degree recipients from Highland Community College Freeport generally make around $46,384. Set against $13,783 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
College Of Lake County came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value industrial technology/technician schools. College Of Lake County is a very large public school located in the suburb of Grayslake. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,788, with out-of-state students paying around $14,400. Industrial Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $9,785 in student loans. Early-career industrial technology/technician graduates make about $50,314. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes City Colleges Of Chicago Richard J Daley College one of the best values for industrial technology/technician. Located in the city of Chicago, City Colleges Of Chicago Richard J Daley College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,590 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,150. Typical student debt for industrial technology/technician graduates is $7,500. Industrial Technology/technician graduates of City Colleges Of Chicago Richard J Daley College earn a median of $33,326 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Heartland Community College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value industrial technology/technician schools. Located in the suburb of Normal, Heartland Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,550, compared with $13,110 for out-of-state students. Industrial Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $13,266 in student loans. Early-career industrial technology/technician graduates make about $48,710. That is a strong return on a $13,266 median debt.
Eastern Illinois University landed the #6 spot for industrial technology/technician value this year. Located in the town of Charleston, Eastern Illinois University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,377, compared with $15,859 for out-of-state students. Industrial Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Early-career industrial technology/technician graduates make about $54,080. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Illinois University admits about 65% of applicants.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned the #7 position for value in industrial technology/technician this year. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,334. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Industrial Technology/technician graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $73,283 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. Southern Illinois University Carbondale admits about 87% of applicants.
Illinois State University came in at #8 for value in industrial technology/technician this year. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,410, compared with $26,058 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Industrial Technology/technician graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $60,741 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
