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2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

27 Ranked Colleges
1,749 Degrees Awarded
$22,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Economics is the 18th most popular major in the country with 48,831 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 2,106 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $49,350 and $22,044 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,749 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 27 colleges that offer a degree in economics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent economics programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the economics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Economics Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Economics (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

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 Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 338 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k list, Northwestern has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $16,784 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Northwestern University

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 423 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $17,929 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Chicago Economics Report

#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Springfield. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $17,342 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Economics at University of Illinois at Springfield

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 490 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $21,998 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Economics at UIUC

#5

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wheaton College Illinois. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k list, Wheaton College Illinois has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $24,299 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Wheaton College Illinois

With a ranking of #6, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 99 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend UIC is $20,270 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at UIC

#7

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $21,425 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full NIU Economics Report

#8

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #8. EIU is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 3 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k list, EIU has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend EIU is $19,147 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Economics at EIU

#19 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

SIUE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for SIUE is $18,928 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Economics Report

#10

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Western Illinois University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 8 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WIU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $20,181 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Western Illinois University Economics Report

With a ranking of #11, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $20,698 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Economics at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#12

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Dominican University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 6 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Dominican U also took the #14 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $21,979 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Dominican University.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Economics at Dominican University

#13

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Galesburg, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k list, Knox has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Knox is $23,813 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Knox

#14

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Olivet Nazarene University is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 33 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k list, Olivet Nazarene has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $21,306 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Olivet Nazarene

#25 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $22,526 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Economics Report

#16

McKendree University

Lebanon, Illinois

McKendree University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Lebanon, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s economics students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at McKendree, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for McKendree is $23,434 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full McKendree University Economics Report

#17

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois

With a ranking of #17, Illinois College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Illinois College is a small school located in Jacksonville, Illinois that handed out 14 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois College also took the #20 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,711 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Illinois College.

Read full report on Economics at Illinois College

#18

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

With a ranking of #18, Augustana College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Augustana College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rock Island, Illinois. It awarded 8 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana also took the #8 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Augustana College is $23,730 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Augustana College Economics Report

#19

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

With a ranking of #19, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Normal, Illinois, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k list, Illinois State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $25,379 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Illinois State

#20

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Elmhurst, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s economics degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k list, Elmhurst has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst University is $23,604 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Elmhurst Economics Report

#21

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

North Central College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. North Central is a private not-for-profit institution located in Naperville, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at North Central, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Central College is $25,778 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at North Central College

#22

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Lake Forest College is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Lake Forest also took the #6 spot in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lake Forest College is $30,189 for illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at Lake Forest College

#23

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Bradley University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Bradley University is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree economics students whose families make $75-$110k list, Bradley has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $28,169 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Bradley.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Economics at Bradley University

#24

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Illinois Wesleyan University is located in Bloomington, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Illinois Wesleyan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Economics Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois Wesleyan is $27,302 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Economics at Illinois Wesleyan

#25

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Roosevelt University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Roosevelt is $23,695 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Economics students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Roosevelt Economics Report

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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to pixabay.

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