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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences in Illinois

15 Ranked Colleges
829 Degrees Awarded
$24,500 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master's in Illinois

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Master’s in Illinois” 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 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” ranking looked at 15 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality social sciences 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 social sciences program at the school. 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” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 Master’s in Illinois

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois.

Top 15 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences in Illinois

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 101 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. 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 UIUC

#2

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Illinois State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 35 degrees to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students list, Illinois State has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State University are $11,069, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Social Sciences at Illinois State

#9 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 10 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at SIUE are $9,300, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full SIUE Social Sciences Report

#10 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Springfield. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois 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.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students list, UIS has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIS are $16,757, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Illinois at Springfield

#5

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Illinois University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois. EIU is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 30 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at EIU are $20,761, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Social Sciences at EIU

#5 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. UIC is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 29 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Chicago are $27,036, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Social Sciences Report

#7

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. NIU is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 16 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU also took the #12 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Social Sciences at Northern Illinois University

#8

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #8. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 29 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students list, WIU has also earned the #13 rank 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 full report on Social Sciences at WIU

#8 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking. 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.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students list, SIUC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are $32,928, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Social Sciences at SIUC

#14 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 7 degrees to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northeastern Illinois University, the school also landed 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 you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Social Sciences Report

#11

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social sciences degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago also made our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #4. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola University Chicago are $19,154.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Loyola Chicago

#12

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

DePaul University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #12. DePaul University is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 63 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 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 DePaul are $19,760.

Full DePaul Social Sciences Report

#13

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Roosevelt University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 7 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Roosevelt also made our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #15. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Roosevelt University are $21,605.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Roosevelt University

#14

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Northwestern University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois ranking. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 64 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students 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 University are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Social Sciences at Northwestern

#15

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, University of Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in Illinois list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 383 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree social sciences students list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank 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 University of Chicago are $61,548.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Chicago

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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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