2026 Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools in Illinois
[Electrical Engineering](/majors/engineering/ee-electrical-engineering/electrical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong electrical engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for electrical engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in electrical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools
For return on investment in electrical engineering, no school beat University Of Illinois At Chicago this year. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,949, compared with $32,009 for out-of-state students. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans. Electrical Engineering graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $83,287 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Chicago admits about 77% of applicants.
Northern Illinois University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in electrical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Northern Illinois University is a large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb. Students from in state pay about $13,060 in tuition and fees. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $74,442. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,092. Students borrow a median of $25,113 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Electrical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median of $79,617 early in their careers. Set against $25,113 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned it the #4 place for electrical engineering. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $21,600 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $99,772. Set against $21,600 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned it the #5 place for electrical engineering. 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 electrical engineering graduates is $19,750. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from Southern Illinois University Carbondale generally make around $68,670. Set against $19,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Illinois Institute Of Technology came in at #6 for value in electrical engineering this year. Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $52,202. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $69,966. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern University earned the #7 position for value in electrical engineering this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $16,616. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $78,551. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
More Electrical Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 13 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.
