2027 Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in Illinois
[Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/respiratory-care-therapy-therapist/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong respiratory care therapy/therapist education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value respiratory care therapy/therapist schools.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the respiratory care therapy/therapist degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools
Joliet Junior College tops our 2027 list of the best value respiratory care therapy/therapist schools in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Joliet, Joliet Junior College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,530, compared with $13,800 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,355 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $57,778. Set against $12,355 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Moraine Valley Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in respiratory care therapy/therapist, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Palos Hills, Moraine Valley Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,822 in tuition and fees, compared with $9,846 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,000 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Moraine Valley Community College generally make around $55,739. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Lincoln Land Community College one of the best values for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Set in the rural area of Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,744 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $10,464. Students borrow a median of $14,897 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Lincoln Land Community College earn a median of $52,750 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,897 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in respiratory care therapy/therapist will find it at Kankakee Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Kankakee, Kankakee Community College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,220, with out-of-state students paying around $25,830. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $10,418. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Kankakee Community College earn a median of $54,757 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Rock Valley College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in respiratory care therapy/therapist, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Rockford, Rock Valley College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,334 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,379 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $9,236 in student loans. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Rock Valley College generally make around $41,080. Set against $9,236 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Kaskaskia College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value respiratory care therapy/therapist schools. Located in the rural area of Centralia, Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,800, compared with $12,570 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $7,875 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $45,658. That is a strong return on a $7,875 median debt.
City Colleges Of Chicago Malcolm X College landed the #7 spot for respiratory care therapy/therapist value this year. City Colleges Of Chicago Malcolm X College is a large public school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,590, with out-of-state students paying around $15,150. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $12,924 in student loans. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $46,222. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
College Of Dupage earned the #8 position for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist 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. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $14,349. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $58,004. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Parkland College landed the #9 spot for respiratory care therapy/therapist value this year. Parkland College is a large public school located in the city of Champaign. Students from in state pay about $4,284 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $13,266. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $13,500. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Parkland College earn a median of $55,060 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southwestern Illinois College ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value respiratory care therapy/therapist schools. Set in the suburb of Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,230, while out-of-state students pay about $6,720. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $10,860 in student loans. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $57,296. That is a strong return on a $10,860 median debt.
Illinois Central College earned the #11 position for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Located in the suburb of East Peoria, Illinois Central College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,800, compared with $12,150 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $9,750 in student loans. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $56,637. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #12 spot for respiratory care therapy/therapist value this year. Set in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,334. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $20,985 in student loans. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $46,566. That is a strong return on a $20,985 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Lewis University landed the #13 spot for respiratory care therapy/therapist value this year. Lewis University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Romeoville. Students from in state pay about $39,200 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,838 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Lewis University generally make around $55,718. That is a strong return on a $24,838 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
More Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Rankings
View All Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
