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2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

17 Ranked Colleges
829 Degrees Awarded
$23,700 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master's in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Social Sciences is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 5th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 205,726 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,801 and had an average of $23,466 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 5,941 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,078 and $23,135 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 829 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered a degree in social sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social sciences programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Social Sciences 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 Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” 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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois master’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 17 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 64 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwestern has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Northwestern Social Sciences 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 Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 383 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. Average graduate tuition and fees at UChicago are $61,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Chicago

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 101 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIUC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 10 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, SIUE has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SIUE are $9,300, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Social Sciences at SIUE

#10 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Springfield is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

UIS not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Social Sciences 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 UIS are $16,757.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Illinois at Springfield

#5 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 29 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #5 spot in our “Best Social Sciences 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 UIC are $27,036.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Social Sciences Report

#7

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wheaton, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social sciences degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Wheaton College Illinois has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Wheaton College Illinois are $17,424, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Social Sciences at Wheaton College Illinois

#8

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 16 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Northern Illinois University Social Sciences Report

#9

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Eastern Illinois University is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

EIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Social Sciences 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 EIU are $20,761.

Full EIU Social Sciences Report

#8 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social sciences degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

SIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Social Sciences 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 Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928.

Read full report on Social Sciences at SIUC

#11

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Illinois State University is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 35 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also made our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State are $11,069, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Illinois State

#12

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Western Illinois University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 29 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also took the #13 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Western Illinois University are $11,996, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Social Sciences at WIU

#14 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 7 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University also took the #14 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Social Sciences Report

#14

Chicago State University

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. CSU is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

CSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSU are $15,056, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Chicago State University

#15

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Roosevelt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Roosevelt has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Roosevelt are $21,605, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Roosevelt University

#16

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, DePaul University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. DePaul is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 63 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul University are $19,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Social Sciences at DePaul

#17

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 12 degrees to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago also took the #4 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola University Chicago are $19,154, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Loyola 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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