2027 Best Value Public Policy Schools in Illinois
[Public Policy](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-policy/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public policy education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value public policy schools.
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2027 Best Value Public Policy Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public policy, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Policy Schools
University Of Illinois At Chicago tops our 2027 list of the best value public policy schools in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,949, with out-of-state students paying around $32,009. Students borrow a median of $17,000 to complete the public policy program here. Public Policy graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $35,205 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
University Of Chicago is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public policy, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $69,324. Students borrow a median of $17,492 to complete the public policy program here. Early-career public policy graduates make about $69,889. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 4%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwestern University earned it the #3 place for public policy. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,322. Public Policy graduates carry a median of $18,750 in student loans. Public Policy graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $48,558 early in their careers. Set against $18,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 8% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Depaul University earned it the #4 place for public policy. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $45,405 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for public policy graduates is $25,340. Early-career public policy graduates make about $52,749. Set against $25,340 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Depaul University admits about 76% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
