2027 Best Value Creative Writing Schools in Illinois
[Creative Writing](/majors/english-language-literature/writing-studies/creative-writing/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong creative writing education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for creative writing students.
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2027 Best Value Creative Writing Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the creative writing degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Creative Writing Schools
For return on investment in creative writing, no school beat College Of Dupage this year. Set in the suburb of Glen Ellyn, College Of Dupage is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,560 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,750 for out-of-state students. Creative Writing graduates carry a median of $12,492 in student loans. Creative Writing graduates of College Of Dupage earn a median of $43,025 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,492 median debt.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great value for students pursuing a degree in creative writing, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Typical student debt for creative writing graduates is $23,250. Creative Writing graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $24,225 early in their careers. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Chicago came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value creative writing schools. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,324. Students borrow a median of $15,854 to complete the creative writing program here. Soon after graduation, creative writing degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $81,002. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Students looking for strong value in creative writing will find it at Knox College, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Galesburg, Knox College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $57,903. Typical student debt for creative writing graduates is $26,976. Soon after graduation, creative writing degree recipients from Knox College generally make around $15,466. That is a strong return on a $26,976 median debt. Knox College admits about 71% of applicants.
Columbia College Chicago is a great value for students pursuing a degree in creative writing, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,088. Typical student debt for creative writing graduates is $27,000. Creative Writing graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median of $29,516 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Depaul University ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value creative writing schools. Located in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Typical student debt for creative writing graduates is $25,340. Early-career creative writing graduates make about $49,334. Set against $25,340 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Loyola University Chicago placed #7 among the best values for creative writing. Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,710. Students borrow a median of $23,521 to complete the creative writing program here. Creative Writing graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $58,568 early in their careers. Set against $23,521 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago landed the #8 spot for creative writing value this year. Set in the city of Chicago, School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $54,623 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the creative writing program here. Early-career creative writing graduates make about $37,157. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
More Creative Writing Rankings
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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 · 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.
