2026 Best Value Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Schools in Illinois
[Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling](/majors/health-care-professions/mental-social-health-services/substance-abuse-addiction-counseling/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for substance abuse/addiction counseling students.
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2026 Best Value Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the substance abuse/addiction counseling degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling Schools
Elgin Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value substance abuse/addiction counseling schools in Illinois. Located in the city of Elgin, Elgin Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,252, compared with $9,516 for out-of-state students. Substance Abuse/addiction Counseling graduates carry a median of $7,727 in student loans. Soon after graduation, substance abuse/addiction counseling degree recipients from Elgin Community College generally make around $43,975. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College earned it the #2 place for substance abuse/addiction counseling. Located in the city of Chicago, City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,590, compared with $15,150 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for substance abuse/addiction counseling graduates is $10,250. Substance Abuse/addiction Counseling graduates of City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College earn a median of $48,264 early in their careers. Set against $10,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes College Of Dupage one of the best values for substance abuse/addiction counseling. College Of Dupage is a very large public school located in the suburb of Glen Ellyn. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,560, compared with $12,750 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,492 to complete the substance abuse/addiction counseling program here. Soon after graduation, substance abuse/addiction counseling degree recipients from College Of Dupage generally make around $43,025. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Governors State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value substance abuse/addiction counseling schools. Located in the suburb of University Park, Governors State University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $12,004 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for substance abuse/addiction counseling graduates is $24,990. Soon after graduation, substance abuse/addiction counseling degree recipients from Governors State University generally make around $44,369. That is a strong return on a $24,990 median debt. The acceptance rate is 48%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
