2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.
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 Getting Aid” 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.
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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 Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
Top 15 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in Illinois (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Governors State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in University Park, Illinois, this small public school awarded 108 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
GSU also took the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $12,077 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid per year to attend Governors State University.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Springfield. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid list, UIS has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $12,477 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
Full University of Illinois at Springfield Liberal Arts General Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Illinois University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. Eastern Illinois University 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. It costs about $14,607 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid per year to attend EIU.
Full Eastern Illinois University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Illinois University landed the #4 spot on the list. Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 169 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid 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 $16,210 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 61 students in 2019-2020.
NIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $18,259 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
Full Northern Illinois University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Chicago State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
CSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $11,733 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid per year to attend CSU.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Saint Xavier University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Saint Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SXU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SXU is $14,528 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Saint Xavier University
Northeastern Illinois University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 158 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $15,843 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.
Full Northeastern Illinois University Liberal Arts General Studies Report
University of St Francis landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of St 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. It costs about $17,538 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid per year to attend University of Saint Francis.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Saint Francis Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Carbondale, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 54 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUC, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SIUC is $16,945 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
Illinois State University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 144 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Illinois State also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $20,895 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid per year to attend Illinois State University.
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 Liberal Arts General Studies at Illinois State
Lincoln College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lincoln College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lincoln, Illinois. It awarded 10 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Lincoln College also took the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lincoln College is $21,797 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
University of Chicago ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $27,315 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. 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%.
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 Getting Aid ranking. Located in Naperville, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
North Central did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend North Central College is $24,786 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
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 full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at North Central College
With a ranking of #15, DePaul University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. DePaul University is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 141 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at DePaul, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul University is $30,090 for illinois bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
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%.
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Liberal Arts General Studies students with family income $75-$110k in Illinois
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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