2027 Best Value Industrial Production Technology Schools in Illinois
[Industrial Production Technology](/majors/engineering-technologies/industrial-production-technology/) 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.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for industrial production technology students.
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2027 Best Value Industrial Production Technology Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in industrial production technology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Industrial Production Technology Schools
Leading the list is Joliet Junior College, our #1 best value for industrial production technology in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Joliet, Joliet Junior College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,530, compared with $13,800 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for industrial production technology graduates is $11,995. Soon after graduation, industrial production technology degree recipients from Joliet Junior College generally make around $40,118. Set against $11,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Lake Land College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in industrial production technology, landing the #2 spot this year. Lake Land College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Mattoon. Students from in state pay about $4,415 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,301. Students borrow a median of $7,769 to complete the industrial production technology program here. Industrial Production Technology graduates of Lake Land College earn a median of $30,294 early in their careers. Set against $7,769 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Kankakee Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in industrial production technology, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Kankakee, Kankakee Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,220 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,830 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for industrial production technology graduates is $13,289. Industrial Production Technology graduates of Kankakee Community College earn a median of $60,509 early in their careers. Set against $13,289 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Oakton Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in industrial production technology, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Des Plaines, Oakton Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,985, with out-of-state students paying around $12,462. Students borrow a median of $7,750 to complete the industrial production technology program here. Early-career industrial production technology graduates make about $48,838. Set against $7,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Highland Community College Freeport earned it the #5 place for industrial production technology. Located in the rural area of Freeport, Highland Community College Freeport is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,936, compared with $7,360 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for industrial production technology graduates is $13,783. Early-career industrial production technology graduates make about $46,384. Set against $13,783 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
College Of Lake County came in at #6 for value in industrial production technology this year. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $14,400. Students borrow a median of $9,785 to complete the industrial production technology program here. Soon after graduation, industrial production technology degree recipients from College Of Lake County generally make around $50,314. Set against $9,785 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
City Colleges Of Chicago Richard J Daley College earned the #7 position for value in industrial production technology this year. Set in the city of Chicago, City Colleges Of Chicago Richard J Daley College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,590, while out-of-state students pay about $15,150. Industrial Production Technology graduates carry a median of $7,500 in student loans. Industrial Production Technology 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.
Waubonsee Community College came in at #8 for value in industrial production technology this year. Waubonsee Community College is a large public school located in the rural area of Sugar Grove. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,504, while out-of-state students pay about $10,464. Students borrow a median of $9,939 to complete the industrial production technology program here. Soon after graduation, industrial production technology degree recipients from Waubonsee Community College generally make around $39,659. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Heartland Community College came in at #9 for value in industrial production technology this year. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $13,110. Industrial Production Technology graduates carry a median of $13,266 in student loans. Soon after graduation, industrial production technology degree recipients from Heartland Community College generally make around $48,710. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Eastern Illinois University placed #10 among the best values for industrial production technology. Eastern Illinois University is a large public school located in the town of Charleston. Students from in state pay about $13,377 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,859 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,000 to complete the industrial production technology program here. Industrial Production Technology graduates of Eastern Illinois University earn a median of $54,080 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned the #11 position for value in industrial production technology this year. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Typical student debt for industrial production technology graduates is $22,000. Soon after graduation, industrial production technology degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $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 placed #12 among the best values for industrial production technology. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,410, while out-of-state students pay about $26,058. Typical student debt for industrial production technology graduates is $23,000. Soon after graduation, industrial production technology degree recipients from Illinois State University generally make around $60,741. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
