2026 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, compared with $12,462 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for industrial technology/technician graduates is $7,750. 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.
College Of Lake County came in at #2 on our 2026 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. In-state tuition and fees average $4,788, while out-of-state students pay about $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. That is a strong return on a $9,785 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in industrial technology/technician will find it at Heartland Community College, which ranked #3. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $13,110. Typical student debt for industrial technology/technician graduates is $13,266. Early-career industrial technology/technician graduates make about $48,710. Set against $13,266 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Eastern Illinois University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value industrial technology/technician schools. Located in the town of Charleston, Eastern Illinois University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,377 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,859. 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. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a great value for students pursuing a degree in industrial technology/technician, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Early-career industrial technology/technician graduates make about $73,283. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southern Illinois University Carbondale admits about 87% of applicants.
Illinois State University came in at #6 for value in industrial technology/technician this year. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the industrial technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, industrial technology/technician degree recipients from Illinois State University generally make around $60,741. Set against $23,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 11 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.
[Industrial Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/industrial-production-technology/industrial-technology-technician/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
