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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

26 Ranked Colleges
1,211 Degrees Awarded
$21,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this 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 $75-$110k” ranking analyzed 26 colleges that offered a degree in public administration and social service. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public administration and social service programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the public administration and social service program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

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 $75-$110k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration & Social Service (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 139 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #2 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $16,784 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Northwestern University

#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 Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 129 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #1 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $17,929 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UChicago.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. 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.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UChicago

#3

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Augustine College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Saint Augustine College is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 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 $75-$110k list, St. Augustine College has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St. Augustine College is $14,952 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

#4

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Governors State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in University Park, Illinois, this small public school handed out 44 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

GSU also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for GSU is $17,845 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Governors State University

#18 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 Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Springfield is $17,342 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at UIS

#6

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

Aurora University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Aurora University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Aurora, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 141 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Aurora also took the #4 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Aurora is $19,609 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 more about Public Administration & Social Service at Aurora University

#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 78 bachelors’s public administration and social service 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. It costs about $21,998 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Public Administration & Social Service Report

#12 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 38 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

SIUE not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $18,928 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on Public Administration & Social Service at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#9

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #9. This medium-sized school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $20,181 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Western Illinois University.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at WIU

#10

Quincy University

Quincy, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Quincy University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Quincy, 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 14 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k list, Quincy U has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Quincy University is $18,515 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

#11

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

NIU also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $21,425 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at NIU

#8 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. UIC is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 25 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $20,270 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 Public Administration & Social Service at University of Illinois at Chicago

#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 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 $20,698 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at SIUC

#11 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. 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.

Northeastern Illinois University also took the #11 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern Illinois University is $22,526 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Public Administration & Social Service Report

#15

Judson University

Elgin, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Judson University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Judson University is located in Elgin, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Judson did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $20,758 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Judson University.

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 Public Administration & Social Service at Judson

#16

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois
#23 in overall quality

National Louis University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 45 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public administration and social service students in 2019-2020.

NLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $21,269 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend National Louis University.

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

#17

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois
#21 in overall quality

Millikin University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Millikin University is a small school located in Decatur, Illinois that handed out 10 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Millikin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Millikin is $23,486 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Millikin

#18

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

University of St Francis came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Joliet, 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 11 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Saint Francis, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Saint Francis is $20,629 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at University of Saint Francis

#19

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 51 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Illinois State also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $25,379 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k 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%.

Full Illinois State Public Administration & Social Service Report

#20

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This small school is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene is $21,306 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 Public Administration & Social Service at Olivet Nazarene

#21

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois
#25 in overall quality

Concordia University, Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #21. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 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 estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Chicago is $17,820 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read more about Public Administration & Social Service at Concordia University, Chicago

#22

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Dominican University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Dominican U is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees to qualified students.

Dominican U also made our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Dominican U is $21,979 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Dominican U Public Administration & Social Service Report

#23

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Bradley University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Bradley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Peoria, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bradley, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley is $28,169 for illinois bachelor’s degree public administration & social service students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

#24

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, Trinity Christian College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. Trinity Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Palos Heights, Illinois. It awarded 7 bachelors’s public administration and social service degrees in 2019-2020.

Trinity Christian also took the #24 spot in our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $23,655 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Trinity Christian College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national 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 Public Administration & Social Service at Trinity Christian

#25

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k 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.

Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Public Administration & Social Service Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Chicago is $36,700 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Public Administration & Social Service students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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 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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