2027 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.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value electrical engineering schools.
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2027 Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the electrical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools
University Of Illinois At Chicago earned the #1 spot for value among electrical engineering schools in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,949 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $32,009. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $23,500. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Chicago generally make around $83,287. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,600 in student loans. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $99,772. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a great value for students pursuing a degree in electrical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,334. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,750 in student loans. Electrical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $68,670 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
A rank of #4 makes Northern Illinois University one of the best values for electrical engineering. 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. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $25,000. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $74,442. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northern Illinois University admits about 70% of applicants.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,092. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,113 in student loans. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $79,617. That is a strong return on a $25,113 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Illinois Institute Of Technology ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $52,202. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $25,500. Electrical Engineering graduates of Illinois Institute Of Technology earn a median of $69,966 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Bradley University landed the #7 spot for electrical engineering value this year. Set in the city of Peoria, Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,160. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Electrical Engineering graduates of Bradley University earn a median of $76,475 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Northwestern University landed the #8 spot for electrical engineering value this year. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. 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. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
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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 · 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.