2027 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Illinois

[Geological & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geological & earth sciences education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for geological & earth sciences students.
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2027 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geological & earth sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Chicago the best value for a degree in geological & earth sciences in Illinois. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Chicago generally make around $37,280. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Students looking for strong value in geological & earth sciences will find it at Northern Illinois University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,060. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,209 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $52,308. That is a strong return on a $25,209 median debt. The acceptance rate is 70%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $38,867. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Illinois State University one of the best values for geological & earth sciences. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, compared with $26,058 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $21,896. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $49,660. That is a strong return on a $21,896 median debt. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.
Augustana College Illinois came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools. Augustana College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Rock Island. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $51,598. Typical student debt for geological & earth sciences graduates is $26,764. Early-career geological & earth sciences graduates make about $39,096. Set against $26,764 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
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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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.