2027 Best Value Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools in Illinois
[Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology](/majors/physical-sciences/atmospheric-sciences-meteorology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value atmospheric sciences & meteorology schools.
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2027 Best Value Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the atmospheric sciences & meteorology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools
Western Illinois University earned the #1 spot for value among atmospheric sciences & meteorology schools in Illinois. Located in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,572. Students borrow a median of $27,639 to complete the atmospheric sciences & meteorology program here. Soon after graduation, atmospheric sciences & meteorology degree recipients from Western Illinois University generally make around $47,926. That is a strong return on a $27,639 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in atmospheric sciences & meteorology will find it at Northern Illinois University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,060. Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans. Early-career atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates make about $52,308. Set against $26,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northern Illinois University admits about 70% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned it the #3 place for atmospheric sciences & meteorology. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates carry a median of $22,311 in student loans. Early-career atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates make about $41,026. That is a strong return on a $22,311 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 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.
