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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

9 Ranked Colleges
73 Degrees Awarded
$31,300 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Physics Schools for a Master's in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

Physics is the 67th most popular major in the country with 14,123 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, physics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $42,475 and had an average of $22,421 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 492 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,100 and $21,278 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 73 physics graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 9 colleges that offer a degree in physics. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality physics programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the physics program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois master’s degree physics students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 9 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Physics (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 masters’s physics degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern also made our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Northwestern Physics Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 17 degrees to qualified masters’s physics students in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UChicago are $61,548.

Read full report on Physics at University of Chicago

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 14 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #3. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083.

Full UIUC Physics Report

#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Chicago. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 4 degrees to qualified masters’s physics students in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #5 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UIC Physics Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. SIUC is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 4 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928.

Read more about Physics at SIUC

#6

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Western Illinois University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 7 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also made our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at WIU are $11,996, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Physics at WIU

#7

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also took the #8 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Physics at Northern Illinois University

#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified masters’s physics students in 2019-2020.

Illinois Tech also took the #4 spot in our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois Institute of Technology are $30,695, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Illinois Institute of Technology Physics Report

#9

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Physics Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 3 masters’s physics degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Physics Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul University are $19,760.

Read more about Physics at DePaul

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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