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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

26 Ranked Colleges
1,211 Degrees Awarded
$13,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service 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 Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 97,666 people earned their degree in public administration and social service, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, public administration and social service graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $39,142 and had an average of $32,304 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 4,107 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,470 and $33,864 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,211 public administration and social service graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 26 colleges that offered a degree in public administration and social service. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent public administration and social service 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 public administration and social service program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration & Social Service 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 Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois

#1

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 #1 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 129 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $2,712 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. 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.

Full UChicago Public Administration & Social Service Report

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 139 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $1,866 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Northwestern Public Administration & Social Service Report

#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 Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $5,477 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#12 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 Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. SIUE is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, SIUE has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $8,055 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at SIUE

#5

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Governors State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k. University Park, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 44 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GSU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Governors State University is $10,872 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Governors State University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $10,648 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service 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%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Illinois at Chicago

#7

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Aurora University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Aurora is located in Aurora, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 141 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Aurora not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Aurora University is $14,103 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Aurora University

#8

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 39 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also took the #7 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $13,942 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at WIU

#9

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Illinois State University is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Illinois State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,470 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Illinois State

#10

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois
#18 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Illinois at Springfield is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

UIS also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $9,771 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at University of Illinois at Springfield

#14 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service 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 47 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $13,658 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at SIUC

#12

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 22 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $15,281 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Northern Illinois University

#11 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northeastern Illinois University, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $14,816 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#14

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Bradley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Peoria, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 20 students in 2019-2020.

Bradley also took the #5 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley is $17,205 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 more about Public Administration & Social Service at Bradley

#15

Quincy University

Quincy, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Quincy University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Quincy University is a small school located in Quincy, Illinois that handed out 14 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Quincy U has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $15,292 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Quincy University.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Quincy U

#16

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Joliet, Illinois, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Saint Francis has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Saint Francis is $15,847 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 University of Saint Francis Public Administration & Social Service Report

#17

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Saint Augustine College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. St. Augustine College is a small school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 25 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Augustine College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Augustine College is $11,691 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at St. Augustine College

#18

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois
#23 in overall quality

National Louis University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

NLU also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for National Louis University is $14,178 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at National Louis University

#19

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Millikin University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Decatur, Illinois, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Millikin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Millikin University is $17,656 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Millikin

#20

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Olivet Nazarene is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bourbonnais, Illinois. It awarded 23 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene is $15,806 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service 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%.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Olivet Nazarene

#21

Judson University

Elgin, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Judson University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Elgin, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.

Judson also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $14,154 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Judson University.

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.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Judson University

#22

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Dominican University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dominican U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 5 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k list, Dominican U has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $17,060 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service 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.

Full Dominican U Public Administration & Social Service Report

#23

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Concordia University, Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k list. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 17 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Concordia University, Chicago, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Concordia University, Chicago is $14,097 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Concordia University, Chicago Public Administration & Social Service Report

#24

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

Trinity Christian College landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Trinity Christian is a small school located in Palos Heights, Illinois that handed out 7 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Trinity Christian did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Trinity Christian is $16,611 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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%. 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 Public Administration & Social Service at Trinity Christian

#25

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Chicago, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Chicago is $29,440 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Loyola 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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