2027 Best Value General Chemistry Schools in Illinois
[General Chemistry](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/general-chemistry/) 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 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general chemistry students.
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2027 Best Value General Chemistry Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general chemistry, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Chemistry Schools
For return on investment in general chemistry, no school beat University Of Illinois At Chicago this year. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, compared with $32,009 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $20,474. General Chemistry graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $61,829 early in their careers. Set against $20,474 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general chemistry will find it at University Of Chicago, which ranked #2. 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. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $15,854. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $81,002. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Chicago admits about 4% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign one of the best values for general chemistry. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. 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 $21,500 to complete the general chemistry program here. Soon after graduation, general chemistry degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $74,138. That is a strong return on a $21,500 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general chemistry will find it at Western Illinois University, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,572 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $27,000. General Chemistry graduates of Western Illinois University earn a median of $31,980 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 71%.
Students looking for strong value in general chemistry will find it at Northern Illinois University, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,060 in tuition and fees. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $23,023 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general chemistry degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $43,061. That is a strong return on a $23,023 median debt. The acceptance rate is 70%.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #6 spot for general chemistry value this year. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,092 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the general chemistry program here. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $46,659. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Illinois Institute Of Technology placed #7 among the best values for general chemistry. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,202. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $26,774 in student loans. General Chemistry graduates of Illinois Institute Of Technology earn a median of $71,315 early in their careers. Set against $26,774 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Illinois State University came in at #8 for value in general chemistry this year. Set in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $26,058. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $24,875. General Chemistry graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $49,660 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,875 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Bradley University ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value general chemistry schools. Bradley University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Peoria. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,160. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $26,380. General Chemistry graduates of Bradley University earn a median of $54,513 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern University landed the #10 spot for general chemistry value this year. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,322. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $90,302. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Loyola University Chicago earned the #11 position for value in general chemistry this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $53,710 in tuition and fees. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $23,521 in student loans. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $58,568. Set against $23,521 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
More General Chemistry Rankings
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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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
