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2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois

21 Ranked Colleges
1,251 Degrees Awarded
$20,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 40,481 people earned their degree in english, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States.

Across Illinois, there were 1,251 english graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois” ranking, we looked at 21 colleges that offer a degree in english. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality english programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the english program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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More English Language Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The english language school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois english language students.

Top 21 Best Value Colleges for English in Illinois

1

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s english language degrees to 130 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois english language students list, UIUC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,321 for Illinois English Language students per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about English at UIUC

2
Illinois State crest
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 137 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best English Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $20,830 for Illinois English Language students per year to attend Illinois State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English at Illinois State

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 51 degrees to qualified ’s english language students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois english language students list, SIUE has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $14,462 for Illinois English Language students.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville English Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 110 ’s english language degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,214 for Illinois English Language students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English at UIC

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northern Illinois University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 58 degrees to qualified ’s english language students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $13,956 for Illinois English Language students per year to attend Northern Illinois University.

Read full report on English at NIU

6

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #6. WIU is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 ’s english language degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois english language students list, WIU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,305 for illinois english language students per year to attend WIU.

Full WIU English Report

7
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 46 diplomas to qualified ’s english language students in 2020-2021.

EIU also took the #18 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $13,098 for Illinois English Language students.

Read more about English at EIU

8

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #8. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best English Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $16,285 for Illinois English Language students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale English Report

9

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s english language degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.

Northeastern Illinois University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best English Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,590 for illinois english language students per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Full Northeastern Illinois University English Report

10

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. UIS is a small public school situated in Springfield, Illinois. It awarded 20 ’s english language degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIS, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $12,034 for Illinois English Language students per year to attend University of Illinois at Springfield.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Springfield English Report

11
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #11. Aurora is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Aurora, Illinois. It awarded 18 ’s english language degrees in 2020-2021.

Aurora did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best English Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $16,994 for Illinois English Language students per year to attend Aurora.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Aurora University English Report

12
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 32 ’s english language degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $25,692 for illinois english language students per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about English at Wheaton College Illinois

13
Elmhurst crest
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #13. Elmhurst University is a small school located in Elmhurst, Illinois that handed out 22 ’s english language degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois english language students list, Elmhurst has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Elmhurst University is $20,100 for illinois english language students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English at Elmhurst University

14
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 70 degrees to qualified ’s english language students in 2020-2021.

DePaul also took the #7 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DePaul is $31,174 for illinois english language students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English at DePaul

15
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking. Loyola University Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 64 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Loyola Chicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best English Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola University Chicago is $36,434 for illinois english language students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on English at Loyola University Chicago

16
Augustana crest
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College did quite well in the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #16. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s english language degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

Augustana did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best English Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana is $23,489 for illinois english language students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about English at Augustana

17
Lake Forest crest
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. This small school is located in Lake Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 20 ’s english language degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lake Forest, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest College is $23,991 for Illinois English Language students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about English at Lake Forest College

18
Knox crest
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, Knox College did quite well on the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. Knox is a small school located in Galesburg, Illinois that handed out 9 ’s english language degrees in 2020-2021.

Knox also took the #17 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $20,548 for Illinois English Language students per year to attend Knox.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English at Knox

19
Illinois Wesleyan crest
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois

With a ranking of #19, Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. Located in Bloomington, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 12 degrees to qualified ’s english language students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois english language students list, Illinois Wesleyan has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan is $34,738 for Illinois English Language students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on English at Illinois Wesleyan University

20
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois ranking, coming in at #20. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 82 ’s english language degrees in 2020-2021.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best English Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $23,279 for illinois english language students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 99%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about English at Northwestern

21
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value English Language Schools in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s english language degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best English Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $28,517 for illinois english language students per year to attend University of Chicago.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English at University of Chicago

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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