2027 Best Value Industrial Engineering Schools in Illinois

[Industrial Engineering](/majors/engineering/ie-industrial-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for industrial engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Industrial Engineering Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the industrial engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Industrial Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Chicago the best value for a degree in industrial engineering in Illinois. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,949 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Typical student debt for industrial engineering graduates is $22,247. Industrial Engineering graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $57,281 early in their careers. Set against $22,247 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Chicago admits about 77% of applicants.
Northern Illinois University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value industrial engineering schools. Northern Illinois University is a large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,060. Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,750 in student loans. Early-career industrial engineering graduates make about $72,112. Set against $23,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 70%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great value for students pursuing a degree in industrial engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,330 in student loans. Industrial Engineering graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $78,313 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.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earned it the #4 place for industrial engineering. 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. Typical student debt for industrial engineering graduates is $23,917. Early-career industrial engineering graduates make about $73,092. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Bradley University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value industrial engineering schools. Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Peoria. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,160. Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,788 in student loans. Industrial Engineering graduates of Bradley University earn a median of $68,166 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Northwestern University earned the #6 position for value in industrial engineering this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,322. Industrial Engineering graduates carry a median of $17,912 in student loans. Early-career industrial engineering graduates make about $89,811. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
More Industrial Engineering Rankings
View All Industrial Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.