Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Social Sciences

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

35 Ranked Colleges
4,783 Degrees Awarded
$13,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

With 205,726 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, social sciences is the 5th most popular major in the United States. 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 bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,783 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 35 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social sciences programs, but they also cost less that 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 social sciences program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $30-$48k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 555 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $3,995 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Northwestern University Social Sciences Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 603 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $2,800 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UChicago.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Chicago

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #3 spot on the list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 867 students in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $8,464 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UIUC.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UIUC

#17 in overall quality

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #4 spot on the list. Edwardsville, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 126 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SIUE is $9,938 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#21 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Springfield is $8,323 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Illinois at Springfield Social Sciences Report

#11 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 290 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $11,185 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.

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 University of Illinois at Chicago Social Sciences Report

#7

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Saint Xavier University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

SXU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SXU is $11,962 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Saint Xavier University Social Sciences Report

#8

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 72 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $11,316 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend EIU.

Read more about Social Sciences at Eastern Illinois University

#9

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’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 206 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, NIU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NIU is $15,861 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full NIU Social Sciences Report

#10

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Knox College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Galesburg, Illinois, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $19,186 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, 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.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Knox

#18 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 137 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $14,306 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SIUC.

Read full report on Social Sciences at SIUC

#12

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 257 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Illinois State also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $14,999 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 more about Social Sciences at Illinois State

#13

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Western Illinois University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 52 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $14,526 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Western Illinois University.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Western Illinois University

#14

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Saint Francis is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Joliet, Illinois. It awarded 7 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Saint Francis also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend University of Saint Francis is $11,229 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of St Francis

#15

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 120 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also took the #4 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $16,212 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Social Sciences at Wheaton College Illinois

#16

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Illinois College is a small school located in Jacksonville, Illinois that handed out 27 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Illinois College is $12,454 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Illinois College

#17

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Lake Forest College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Lake Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 71 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Lake Forest also took the #7 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest College is $19,152 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Lake Forest

#18

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

Dominican University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Dominican University is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 83 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Dominican U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $17,586 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dominican U.

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 Dominican U Social Sciences Report

#19

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois

National Louis University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. National Louis University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,403 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend National Louis University.

Read full report on Social Sciences at NLU

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 72 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $15,513 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Social Sciences Report

#21

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

Elmhurst University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Elmhurst, Illinois, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k list, Elmhurst has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst University is $17,837 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Elmhurst University

#22

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Bradley University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Bradley University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Bradley also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Bradley is $18,232 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Bradley University

#23

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Illinois Wesleyan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Illinois Wesleyan University is a small school located in Bloomington, Illinois that handed out 28 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois Wesleyan, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,857 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Illinois Wesleyan University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Illinois Wesleyan University

#24

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

With a ranking of #24, Olivet Nazarene University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k list. Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene is $15,390 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 Social Sciences at Olivet Nazarene University

#25

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

Augustana College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Rock Island, Illinois, and it awarded 71 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Augustana not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $16,249 for illinois bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Augustana College.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 Social Sciences at Augustana College

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

Featured Social Science Schools

Find Schools Near You