2027 Best Value Physical Education Schools in Illinois
[Physical Education](/majors/parks-recreation-fitness/health-and-physical-education/physical-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for physical education students.
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2027 Best Value Physical Education Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physical Education Schools
Harper College earned the #1 spot for value among physical education schools in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Palatine, Harper College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,894, while out-of-state students pay about $11,874. Typical student debt for physical education graduates is $10,963. Soon after graduation, physical education degree recipients from Harper College generally make around $44,523. Set against $10,963 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in physical education will find it at Northern Illinois University, which ranked #2. Northern Illinois University is a large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb. Students from in state pay about $13,060 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,418 to complete the physical education program here. Early-career physical education graduates make about $36,011. Set against $27,418 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 70%.
A rank of #3 makes Southern Illinois University Edwardsville one of the best values for physical education. Set in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,092 in tuition and fees. Physical Education graduates carry a median of $23,237 in student loans. Physical Education graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median of $34,811 early in their careers. Set against $23,237 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville admits about 98% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes North Park University one of the best values for physical education. Set in the city of Chicago, North Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $36,710. Students borrow a median of $25,495 to complete the physical education program here. Physical Education graduates of North Park University earn a median of $30,165 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. North Park University admits about 68% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in physical education will find it at Monmouth College, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Monmouth, Monmouth College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $44,922 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,757 to complete the physical education program here. Early-career physical education graduates make about $36,675. That is a strong return on a $25,757 median debt. Monmouth College admits about 91% of applicants.
Illinois State University came in at #6 for value in physical education this year. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,410, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Students borrow a median of $21,250 to complete the physical education program here. Physical Education graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $37,059 early in their careers. Set against $21,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.
Quincy University landed the #7 spot for physical education value this year. Located in the town of Quincy, Quincy University is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,140. Students borrow a median of $26,691 to complete the physical education program here. Early-career physical education graduates make about $46,414. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 51% of applicants are accepted.
More Physical Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
