2027 Best Value Pharmacy Schools in Illinois
[Pharmacy](/majors/health-care-professions/pharmacy-pharmaceutical-sciences/pharmacy/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for pharmacy students.
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2027 Best Value Pharmacy Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pharmacy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Pharmacy Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Chicago the best value for a degree in pharmacy in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,949 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Pharmacy graduates carry a median of $20,115 in student loans. Early-career pharmacy graduates make about $91,467. Set against $20,115 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Chicago admits about 77% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Chicago State University earned it the #2 place for pharmacy. Set in the city of Chicago, Chicago State University is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,754, compared with $12,757 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for pharmacy graduates is $43,322. Pharmacy graduates of Chicago State University earn a median of $69,635 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $43,322 median debt. Chicago State University admits about 43% of applicants.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a great value for students pursuing a degree in pharmacy, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,092. Pharmacy graduates carry a median of $23,917 in student loans. Early-career pharmacy graduates make about $119,267. That is a strong return on a $23,917 median debt. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Roosevelt University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value pharmacy schools. Roosevelt University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $21,315. Typical student debt for pharmacy graduates is $23,879. Early-career pharmacy graduates make about $97,844. That is a strong return on a $23,879 median debt. The acceptance rate is 97%.
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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.
