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2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

34 Ranked Colleges
1,532 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 46,740 people earned their degree in political science, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States.

Across Illinois, there were 1,532 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 34 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in political science. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent political science programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

More Ways to Rank Political Science Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons 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 Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Political Science (Income $48-$75k) 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 Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 149 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $6,452 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 0.8% 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%.

Full Northwestern Political Science Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. UChicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 126 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $7,934 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UChicago.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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.

Read more about Political Science at University of Chicago

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 Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 268 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $13,351 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 more about Political Science at UIUC

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Springfield. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a small public school situated in Springfield, Illinois. It awarded 41 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend UIS is $11,857 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UIS Political Science Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Chicago. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 78 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,683 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 Political Science at University of Illinois at Chicago

#6

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SXU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,907 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Saint Xavier University.

Read full report on Political Science at SXU

#7

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also took the #4 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $19,691 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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 more about Political Science at Wheaton College Illinois

#8

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

With a ranking of #8, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at EIU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Illinois University is $13,560 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full EIU Political Science Report

#9

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 91 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

NIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $18,346 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend NIU.

Read more about Political Science at Northern Illinois University

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 30 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

SIUE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $13,705 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Political Science at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

With a ranking of #11, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

SIUC also took the #22 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,985 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SIUC.

Read full report on Political Science at SIUC

#12

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 96 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,080 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Illinois State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State Political Science Report

#13

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

With a ranking of #13, Augustana College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Augustana is located in Rock Island, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

Augustana not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Augustana is $21,453 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 Political Science Report

#14

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Joliet, Illinois, and it awarded 7 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Saint Francis also took the #21 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Saint Francis is $14,220 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Saint Francis Political Science Report

#15

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #15, Lake Forest College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lake Forest College is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

Lake Forest did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest is $24,683 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 Political Science at Lake Forest

#16

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

With a ranking of #16, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. WIU is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 26 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WIU, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,912 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend WIU.

Read full report on Political Science at Western Illinois University

#17

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

With a ranking of #17, Knox College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Knox is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Galesburg, Illinois. It awarded 11 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Knox is $19,653 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 Political Science at Knox College

#18

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Elmhurst University is located in Elmhurst, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Elmhurst, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst University is $19,703 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Elmhurst University Political Science Report

Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 25 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,180 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Read more about Political Science at Northeastern Illinois University

#20

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Illinois College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Jacksonville, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,942 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Illinois College.

Read more about Political Science at Illinois College

#21

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and it awarded 12 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene is $17,841 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 more about Political Science at Olivet Nazarene University

#22

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

With a ranking of #22, Millikin University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Millikin University is located in Decatur, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Millikin is $20,390 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

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.

Full Millikin Political Science Report

#23

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

North Central College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. North Central College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Naperville, Illinois. It awarded 17 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

North Central also took the #11 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $23,353 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend North Central.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at North Central College

#24

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #24, Dominican University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Dominican University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 8 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Dominican U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $18,582 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 Political Science at Dominican U

#25

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 4 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Chicago is $17,295 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Political Science at Concordia University, Chicago

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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