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2022 Best Value Colleges for Political Science (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

33 Ranked Colleges
1,532 Degrees Awarded
$21,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Political Science is the 14th most popular major in the country with 46,740 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

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 $75-$110k” ranking looked at 33 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in political science. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality political science programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the political science program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Political Science Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Political Science (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 149 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $16,784 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 97%. 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 more about Political Science at Northwestern

#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 $75-$110k. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 126 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $17,929 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UChicago.

The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UChicago Political Science Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.

UIS also took the #16 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIS is $17,342 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Political Science at University of Illinois at Springfield

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 268 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $21,998 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at UIUC

#5

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Out of the 33 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 91 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also took the #14 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $21,425 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Political Science at NIU

#6

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Saint Xavier University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

SXU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Saint Xavier University is $18,457 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Political Science at Saint Xavier University

#7

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. EIU is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 40 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $19,147 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend EIU.

Read more about Political Science at EIU

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools 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 78 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $20,270 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 UIC

#9

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k list, Wheaton College Illinois has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $24,299 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Wheaton College Illinois Political Science Report

With a ranking of #10, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $18,928 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Political Science at SIUE

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 32 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $20,698 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Political Science at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#12

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 26 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $20,181 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Political Science at Western Illinois University

#13

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois

University of St Francis came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of St Francis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Joliet, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Saint Francis also took the #21 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of St Francis is $20,629 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 University of Saint Francis Political Science Report

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 25 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $22,526 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Political Science Report

#15

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Illinois State University is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 96 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k list, Illinois State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State University is $25,379 for Illinois Poly Sci 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 Political Science at Illinois State University

#16

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #16, Concordia University, Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in River Forest, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Chicago is $17,820 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Political Science at Concordia University, Chicago

#17

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Dominican University is a small school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 8 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Dominican U also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Dominican University is $21,979 for illinois poly sci 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.

Read full report on Political Science at Dominican U

#18

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Millikin is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Decatur, Illinois. It awarded 3 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Millikin is $23,486 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

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.

Read full report on Political Science at Millikin

#19

McKendree University

Lebanon, Illinois

McKendree University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This small school is located in Lebanon, Illinois, and it awarded 7 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $23,434 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend McKendree.

Full McKendree Political Science Report

#20

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois

With a ranking of #20, Augustana College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k list, Augustana has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Augustana is $23,730 for illinois poly sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%.

Read more about Political Science at Augustana

#21

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #21. Knox is a private not-for-profit institution located in Galesburg, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Knox is $23,813 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. 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.

Read more about Political Science at Knox

#22

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. 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.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois College, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois College is $19,711 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Political Science at Illinois College

#23

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois

Elmhurst University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Elmhurst is a small school located in Elmhurst, Illinois that handed out 14 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst is $23,604 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Elmhurst University

#24

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Olivet Nazarene is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 12 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Olivet Nazarene is $21,306 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%.

Full Olivet Nazarene University Political Science Report

#25

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois

North Central College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. This small school is located in Naperville, Illinois, and it awarded 17 ’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

North Central also made our “Best Political Science Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $25,778 for Illinois Poly Sci students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend North Central.

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 Political Science at North Central

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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