2027 Best Value African American Studies Schools in Illinois
[African American Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/african-american-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for african american studies students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value African American Studies Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the african american studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value African American Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Chicago the best value for a degree in african american studies in Illinois. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Students borrow a median of $19,448 to complete the african american studies program here. African American Studies graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $33,366 early in their careers. Set against $19,448 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in african american studies will find it at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, which ranked #2. 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. African American Studies graduates carry a median of $23,402 in student loans. Early-career african american studies graduates make about $32,856. Set against $23,402 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in african american studies will find it at Northwestern University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $68,322. Typical student debt for african american studies graduates is $16,616. African American Studies graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $39,012 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
Depaul University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value african american studies 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. African American Studies graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. African American Studies graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $18,029 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
More African American Studies Rankings
View All African American Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
