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2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois

22 Ranked Colleges
820 Degrees Awarded
$20,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 32,905 people earned their degree in history, making the major the 30th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, history graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,593 and had an average of $23,490 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 942 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,667 and $22,107 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 820 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois” ranking looked at 22 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in history. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent history programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the history program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank History Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

Top 22 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for History in Illinois

#1

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Illinois State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois. Illinois State University is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 97 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree history students list, Illinois State has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $20,895 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students per year to attend Illinois State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Illinois State

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree history students list, UIUC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $15,880 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois. UIS is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Springfield is $12,477 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students.

Full University of Illinois at Springfield History Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. SIUE is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 49 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree history students list, SIUE has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,423 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read full report on History at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#5

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Illinois University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. EIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 20 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU also took the #15 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $14,607 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

Read more about History at Eastern Illinois University

#6

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

With a ranking of #6, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. NIU is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $18,259 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students.

Read more about History at Northern Illinois University

University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend UIC is $13,312 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago History Report

#8

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $16,210 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

Read full report on History at WIU

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #9. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree history students list, SIUC has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $16,945 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

Read full report on History at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northeastern Illinois University, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $15,843 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students.

Read full report on History at Northeastern Illinois University

#11

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois

Aurora University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. Aurora University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Aurora, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Aurora, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Aurora is $17,215 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about History at Aurora University

#12

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #12. Illinois College is located in Jacksonville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

Illinois College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $16,562 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students per year to attend Illinois College.

Read full report on History at Illinois College

#13

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 14 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $25,358 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on History at Wheaton College Illinois

#14

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elmhurst, Illinois. It awarded 14 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $21,485 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students per year to attend Elmhurst.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about History at Elmhurst University

#15

Monmouth College

Monmouth, Illinois

With a ranking of #15, Monmouth College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Located in Monmouth, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree history students list, Monmouth has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Monmouth College is $17,061 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on History at Monmouth College

#16

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

With a ranking of #16, North Central College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. North Central is located in Naperville, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

North Central did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $24,786 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students per year to attend North Central College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at North Central

#17

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #17. Roosevelt is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 5 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Roosevelt also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Roosevelt is $22,749 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

Read more about History at Roosevelt University

#18

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. DePaul is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 20 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend DePaul University is $30,090 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at DePaul University

#19

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 58 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $35,407 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students per year to attend Loyola Chicago.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola Chicago History Report

#20

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

With a ranking of #20, Knox College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Located in Galesburg, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Knox, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $22,292 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on History at Knox College

#21

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

With a ranking of #21, Northwestern University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 48 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $24,664 for illinois bachelor’s degree history students.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on History at Northwestern University

#21

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #21, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. UChicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 72 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $27,315 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree History students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Chicago History Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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