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2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

26 Ranked Colleges
1,368 Degrees Awarded
$21,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 56,860 people earned their degree in English language and literature, making the major the 16th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, English language and literature graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $27,873 and had an average of $24,681 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 1,707 English language and literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,329 and $24,956 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,368 English language and literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 26 colleges that offer a degree in English language and literature. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality English language and literature programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the English language and literature program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank English Language & Literature Schools

The english language & literature 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 & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for English Language & Literature in Illinois (With Aid)

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 161 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid list, UIUC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,880 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid per year to attend UIUC.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UIUC English Language & Literature Report

#8 in overall quality

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 84 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $13,312 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid per year to attend UIC.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at UIC

#3

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Governors State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Governors State University is located in University Park, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

GSU also took the #20 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend GSU is $12,077 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

Read more about English Language & Literature at GSU

#4

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 60 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid list, NIU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $18,259 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Northern Illinois University

#5

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#18 in overall quality

Out of the 26 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Eastern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 29 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid list, EIU has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $14,607 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at EIU

#19 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid list, SIUE has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,423 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#17 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northeastern Illinois University, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $15,843 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Northeastern Illinois University

#8

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 108 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $20,895 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full Illinois State University English Language & Literature Report

#9

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Northwestern University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid list, Northwestern has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $24,664 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Northwestern

#10

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Aurora University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Aurora University is located in Aurora, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

Aurora did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Aurora University is $17,215 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Aurora

#23 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.

SIUC also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $16,945 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

Read more about English Language & Literature at SIUC

#12

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Western Illinois University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $16,210 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid.

Read more about English Language & Literature at WIU

#13

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Elmhurst University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 36 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst also took the #10 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $21,485 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid per year to attend Elmhurst.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Elmhurst

#14

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

Illinois College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Illinois College is a small school located in Jacksonville, Illinois that handed out 20 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois College, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois College is $16,562 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Illinois College

#15

McKendree University

Lebanon, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

McKendree University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Lebanon, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at McKendree, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,844 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid per year to attend McKendree.

Read more about English Language & Literature at McKendree

#16

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 42 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $25,358 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Wheaton College Illinois

#17

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Augustana College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Augustana College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rock Island, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Augustana College is $23,874 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 more about English Language & Literature at Augustana College

#18

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

Knox College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Knox is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Galesburg, Illinois. It awarded 43 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox also took the #16 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $22,292 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Knox English Language & Literature Report

#19

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

North Central College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. North Central College is a small school located in Naperville, Illinois that handed out 20 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Central, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $24,786 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid per year to attend North Central College.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 North Central College English Language & Literature Report

#20

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

University of Chicago ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 84 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $27,315 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid per year to attend University of Chicago.

The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 100%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full UChicago English Language & Literature Report

#21

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Roosevelt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

Roosevelt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Roosevelt is $22,749 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid.

Full Roosevelt English Language & Literature Report

#22

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Illinois Wesleyan is a small school located in Bloomington, Illinois that handed out 16 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Wesleyan also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Wesleyan is $26,039 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 full report on English Language & Literature at Illinois Wesleyan

#23

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

Columbia College Chicago landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s English language and literature degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #24. The yearly cost to attend Columbia College Chicago is $31,099 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid.

Full Columbia English Language & Literature Report

#24

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

DePaul University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 67 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

DePaul also made our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $30,090 for illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid per year to attend DePaul.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at DePaul

#25

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #25, Loyola University Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 55 degrees to qualified bachelors’s English language and literature students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree english language & literature students with aid list, Loyola Chicago has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $35,407 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree English Language & Literature students with aid per year to attend Loyola Chicago.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Loyola Chicago

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Mike Hazard.

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