2027 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Illinois

[Chemical Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for chemical engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the chemical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools
University Of Illinois At Chicago earned the #1 spot for value among chemical engineering schools in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,949, with out-of-state students paying around $32,009. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,875 in student loans. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $58,377. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Chicago admits about 77% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign one of the best values for chemical engineering. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $22,850 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, chemical engineering degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $77,440. That is a strong return on a $22,850 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Chicago one of the best values for chemical engineering. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $69,324. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $15,854. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $81,002. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Illinois Institute Of Technology is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $52,202 in tuition and fees. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,747 in student loans. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $64,526. Set against $26,747 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,322. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Chemical Engineering graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $80,709 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
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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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.