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2022 Best Value Colleges for History (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

22 Ranked Colleges
942 Degrees Awarded
$14,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” 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 22nd 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.

For this year’s “Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 22 colleges that offer a degree in history. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality history programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the history program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank History Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 22 Best Value Colleges for History (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 57 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $1,866 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its 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%.

Full Northwestern University History Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 98 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $2,712 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read more about History at UChicago

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 105 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $5,477 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 52 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best History Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $8,055 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville History Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $10,648 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 University of Illinois at Chicago

#6

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Illinois State University is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 108 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $14,470 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State History Report

With a ranking of #7, University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Springfield, Illinois, this small public school handed out 25 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2019-2020.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $9,771 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Springfield.

Read full report on History at UIS

#8

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 47 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also made our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $15,281 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about History at Northern Illinois University

#9

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 22 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $12,350 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend EIU.

Read full report on History at EIU

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s history degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.

SIUC also made our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $13,658 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SIUC.

Read full report on History at SIUC

#11

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois

With a ranking of #11, Aurora University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Aurora, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 17 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2019-2020.

Aurora also took the #11 spot in our “Best History Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,103 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Aurora University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Aurora University

#12

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 15 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,942 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Western Illinois University.

Read more about History at WIU

#12

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 14 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best History Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $18,440 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 0.7% 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 Wheaton College Illinois

#14

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Jacksonville, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 degrees to qualified ’s history students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k list, Illinois College has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best History Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois College is $11,376 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Illinois College History Report

#15

Monmouth College

Monmouth, Illinois

With a ranking of #15, Monmouth College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Monmouth College is a small school located in Monmouth, Illinois that handed out 10 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Monmouth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Monmouth is $13,231 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on History at Monmouth

#16

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Knox is located in Galesburg, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

Knox did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $16,828 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Knox College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on History at Knox College

#17

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Elmhurst, Illinois, and it awarded 14 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k list, Elmhurst has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best History Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst is $16,903 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Elmhurst University

Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 36 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $14,816 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about History at Northeastern Illinois University

#19

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

With a ranking of #19, North Central College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Naperville, Illinois, and it awarded 18 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k list, North Central has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best History Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Central College is $18,889 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 North Central College

#20

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Roosevelt is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 ’s history degrees to qualified students.

Roosevelt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Roosevelt is $20,398 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about History at Roosevelt University

#21

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Loyola University Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 73 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Chicago, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best History Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola University Chicago is $29,440 for Illinois History students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about History at Loyola Chicago

#22

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 25 ’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul also made our “Best History Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend DePaul University is $26,173 for illinois history students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read full report on History at DePaul

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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