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2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

29 Ranked Colleges
752 Degrees Awarded
$13,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor'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. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Sociology is the 20th most popular major in the country with 37,747 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across Illinois, there were 860 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 752 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 29 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in sociology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality sociology 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 sociology program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Sociology 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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’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. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $1,866 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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. 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%.

Full Northwestern Sociology Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 31 degrees to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $2,712 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UChicago Sociology Report

#3 in overall quality

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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 65 students in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $5,477 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

#19 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #4 spot on the list. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $8,055 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SIUE.

Read full report on Sociology at SIUE

#5

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Illinois University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Dekalb, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 72 degrees to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

NIU also took the #9 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,281 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend NIU.

Read full report on Sociology at NIU

#8 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 66 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $10,648 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 UIC Sociology Report

#7

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

Saint Xavier University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

SXU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $11,266 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Saint Xavier University.

Read full report on Sociology at SXU

#8

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Illinois State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school handed out 76 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also made our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $14,470 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read full report on Sociology at Illinois State University

#9

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k list, EIU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Illinois University is $12,350 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Sociology at EIU

#10

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Wheaton, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $18,440 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Sociology at Wheaton College Illinois

#11

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Illinois College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Illinois College is a small school located in Jacksonville, Illinois that handed out 6 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Illinois College is $11,376 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Sociology at Illinois College

#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 4 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $13,658 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SIUC.

Full SIUC Sociology Report

#13

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

Western Illinois University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $13,942 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full WIU Sociology Report

#14

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Elmhurst University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst University is $16,903 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 Sociology Report

#15

McKendree University

Lebanon, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

McKendree University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Lebanon, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

McKendree not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend McKendree is $15,184 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full McKendree University Sociology Report

#16

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Bradley University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bradley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bradley, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley is $17,205 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full Bradley University Sociology Report

#17

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

Dominican University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. River Forest, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Dominican U has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $17,060 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 more about Sociology at Dominican University

#18

North Central College

Naperville, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

North Central College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Naperville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

North Central also took the #5 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Central College is $18,889 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 full report on Sociology at North Central

#19

Illinois Wesleyan University

Bloomington, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Illinois Wesleyan University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Bloomington, Illinois, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois Wesleyan also made our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois Wesleyan University is $18,570 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Sociology at Illinois Wesleyan

#25 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northeastern Illinois University, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,816 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Read full report on Sociology at Northeastern Illinois University

#21

Augustana College

Rock Island, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Augustana College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Augustana is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rock Island, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Augustana has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Augustana is $20,355 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full Augustana Sociology Report

#22

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

Millikin University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Decatur, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Millikin has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $17,656 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Millikin.

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 Sociology Report

#23

Chicago State University

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small public school handed out 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend CSU is $11,507 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Sociology at Chicago State University

#24

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Olivet Nazarene University is a small school located in Bourbonnais, Illinois that handed out 1 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,806 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.

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 full report on Sociology at Olivet Nazarene University

#25

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 2 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,097 for illinois bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Concordia University, Chicago.

Read full report on Sociology 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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Kontos.

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