2026 Best Value Value Schools in Illinois
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/geography-and-environmental-studies/general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Value Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in Illinois. Set in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,092. Value graduates carry a median of $23,917 in student loans. Value graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median of $54,302 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
