2026 Best Value Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies Schools in Illinois
[Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies](/majors/health-care-professions/health-medical-preparatory-programs/pre-medicine-pre-medical-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.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value pre-medicine/pre-medical studies schools.
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2026 Best Value Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the pre-medicine/pre-medical studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Dominican University the best value for a degree in pre-medicine/pre-medical studies in Illinois. Set in the suburb of River Forest, Dominican University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $38,828. Students borrow a median of $30,000 to complete the pre-medicine/pre-medical studies program here. Soon after graduation, pre-medicine/pre-medical studies degree recipients from Dominican University generally make around $45,546. Set against $30,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Northwestern University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in pre-medicine/pre-medical studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,322. Pre-Medicine/pre-Medical Studies graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Pre-Medicine/pre-Medical Studies graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $78,551 early in their careers. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in pre-medicine/pre-medical studies will find it at Loyola University Chicago, which ranked #3. 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. Pre-Medicine/pre-Medical Studies graduates carry a median of $23,521 in student loans. Pre-Medicine/pre-Medical Studies graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $58,568 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
