2027 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Illinois

[Philosophy](/majors/philosophy-and-religious-studies/philosophy/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for philosophy students.
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2027 Best Value Philosophy Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the philosophy degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Philosophy Schools
For return on investment in philosophy, no school beat Northern Illinois University this year. Located in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,060. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $25,209 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $52,308. Set against $25,209 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northern Illinois University admits about 70% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Chicago one of the best values for philosophy. University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,324. Students borrow a median of $22,641 to complete the philosophy program here. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $81,002. Set against $22,641 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned it the #3 place for philosophy. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $18,750 to complete the philosophy program here. Philosophy graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $21,824 early in their careers. Set against $18,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wheaton College Illinois earned it the #4 place for philosophy. Wheaton College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wheaton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,546. Typical student debt for philosophy graduates is $23,685. Early-career philosophy graduates make about $43,654. That is a strong return on a $23,685 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Northwestern University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value philosophy schools. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,322. Typical student debt for philosophy graduates is $16,616. Philosophy graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $78,551 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Depaul University earned the #6 position for value in philosophy this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $25,340 in student loans. Philosophy graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $55,390 early in their careers. Set against $25,340 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Depaul University admits about 76% of applicants.
Loyola University Chicago earned the #7 position for value in philosophy this year. Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,710. Philosophy graduates carry a median of $25,530 in student loans. Soon after graduation, philosophy degree recipients from Loyola University Chicago generally make around $58,568. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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.