2027 Best Value Cognitive Science Schools in Illinois
[Cognitive Science](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/cognitive-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value cognitive science schools.
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2027 Best Value Cognitive Science Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in cognitive science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Cognitive Science Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, our #1 best value for cognitive science in Illinois. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,778 to complete the cognitive science program here. Cognitive Science graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $57,461 early in their careers. Set against $20,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in cognitive science will find it at University Of Chicago, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $69,324 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for cognitive science graduates is $15,854. Soon after graduation, cognitive science degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $81,002. That is a strong return on a $15,854 median debt. University Of Chicago admits about 4% of applicants.
Northwestern University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in cognitive science, landing the #3 spot this year. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $16,616 to complete the cognitive science program here. Soon after graduation, cognitive science degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $78,551. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
