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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

15 Ranked Colleges
1,158 Degrees Awarded
$14,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

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 Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Liberal Arts General Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 1st of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 559,661 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $26,786 and had an average of $16,538 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 27,169 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $26,138 and $14,095 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,158 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 15 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts general studies programs and 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 liberal arts general studies program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 19 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $2,800 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, 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 100%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at University of Chicago

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #2 spot on the list. UIS is a small public school situated in Springfield, Illinois. It awarded 15 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS also took the #8 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Springfield is $8,323 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at UIS

#3

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Illinois University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. EIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 123 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at EIU, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Illinois University is $11,316 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at EIU

#4

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Governors State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. GSU is located in University Park, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 108 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GSU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Governors State University is $12,046 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at GSU

#5

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 169 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, WIU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $14,526 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Western Illinois University

#6

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. NIU is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 61 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $15,861 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northern Illinois University.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at NIU

#7

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois

University of St Francis ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Saint Francis is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Joliet, Illinois. It awarded 5 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Saint Francis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend University of St Francis is $11,229 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 Liberal Arts General Studies at University of St Francis

#8

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. SXU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 24 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

SXU also took the #13 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Xavier University is $11,962 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Saint Xavier University

#9

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 144 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

Illinois State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $14,999 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 Liberal Arts General Studies Report

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 54 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, SIUC has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $14,306 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at SIUC

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 158 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University also took the #11 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern Illinois University is $15,513 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Northeastern Illinois University

#12

Chicago State University

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSU is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 36 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSU, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Chicago State University is $11,844 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 more about Liberal Arts General Studies at CSU

#13

Lincoln College

Lincoln, Illinois

Lincoln College landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Lincoln College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lincoln, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Lincoln College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Lincoln College is $21,395 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Lincoln College

#14

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

North Central College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. North Central College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Naperville, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k list, North Central has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Central College is $20,128 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 Liberal Arts General Studies at North Central College

#15

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 141 students in 2019-2020.

DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul is $25,842 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at DePaul

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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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