2027 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in Illinois
[Engineering & Applied Physics](/majors/engineering/engineering-physics/engineering-applied-physics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for engineering & applied physics students.
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2027 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering & applied physics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools
For return on investment in engineering & applied physics, no school beat University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates carry a median of $20,136 in student loans. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $64,304 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in engineering & applied physics will find it at University Of Chicago, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,324. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates carry a median of $15,854 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering & applied physics degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $81,002. That is a strong return on a $15,854 median debt. University Of Chicago admits about 4% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
