2027 Best Value Laboratory Technician Schools in Illinois
[Laboratory Technician](/majors/health-care-professions/clinical-medical-lab-science/laboratory-technician/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. 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 laboratory technician students.
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2027 Best Value Laboratory Technician Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in laboratory technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Laboratory Technician Schools
Kankakee Community College earned the #1 spot for value among laboratory technician schools in Illinois. Set in the city of Kankakee, Kankakee Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,220, while out-of-state students pay about $25,830. Students borrow a median of $13,289 to complete the laboratory technician program here. Soon after graduation, laboratory technician degree recipients from Kankakee Community College generally make around $60,509. That is a strong return on a $13,289 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in laboratory technician will find it at Oakton Community College, which ranked #2. Oakton Community College is a large public school located in the city of Des Plaines. In-state tuition and fees average $3,985, compared with $12,462 for out-of-state students. Laboratory Technician graduates carry a median of $7,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, laboratory technician degree recipients from Oakton Community College generally make around $48,838. That is a strong return on a $7,750 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Elgin Community College earned it the #3 place for laboratory technician. Set in the city of Elgin, Elgin Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,252 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $9,516. Students borrow a median of $7,727 to complete the laboratory technician program here. Early-career laboratory technician graduates make about $43,975. Set against $7,727 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southwestern Illinois College earned it the #4 place for laboratory technician. Located in the suburb of Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,230, compared with $6,720 for out-of-state students. Laboratory Technician graduates carry a median of $10,388 in student loans. Early-career laboratory technician graduates make about $44,345. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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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 · 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.
