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2026 Best Value Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy Schools in Illinois

[Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy](/majors/health-care-professions/rehab-and-therapeutic-professions/therapeutic-recreation-recreational-therapy/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy Schools in Illinois

2026 Best Value Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy Schools in Illinois

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy Schools

1

Chicago State University
Chicago, IL

$12,754 In-State Tuition & Fees

$43,322 Avg Student Debt

$42,778 Median Earnings (10yr)

Chicago State University tops our 2026 list of the best value therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy schools in Illinois. Chicago State University is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,754, compared with $12,757 for out-of-state students. Therapeutic Recreation/recreational Therapy graduates carry a median of $43,322 in student loans. Therapeutic Recreation/recreational Therapy graduates of Chicago State University earn a median of $47,477 early in their careers. Set against $43,322 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Chicago State University admits about 43% of applicants.

2

Aurora University
Aurora, IL

$29,170 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,750 Avg Student Debt

$58,709 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Aurora University one of the best values for therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy. Aurora University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Aurora. In-state tuition and fees average $29,170. Typical student debt for therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy graduates is $23,750. Therapeutic Recreation/recreational Therapy graduates of Aurora University earn a median of $41,856 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.

View All Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 4 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.