2027 Best Value International Studies Schools in Illinois
[International Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/international-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for international studies students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value International Studies Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the international studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value International Studies Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, our #1 best value for international studies in Illinois. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. International Studies graduates carry a median of $21,628 in student loans. Early-career international studies graduates make about $30,438. Set against $21,628 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Depaul University earned it the #2 place for international studies. Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Typical student debt for international studies graduates is $25,340. International Studies graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $55,390 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,340 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Students looking for strong value in international studies will find it at Loyola University Chicago, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,710. Typical student debt for international studies graduates is $23,521. Soon after graduation, international studies degree recipients from Loyola University Chicago generally make around $58,568. That is a strong return on a $23,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
More International Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 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.
