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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

18 Ranked Colleges
791 Degrees Awarded
$27,858 Avg Salary
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Social Work is the 12th most popular major in the country with 57,618 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, social work graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,459 and had an average of $30,084 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 2,654 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,589 and $33,608 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 791 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree in social work. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social work programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the social work program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Social Work Schools

The social work school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k”.

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. 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 Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $48-$75k) in Illinois

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 78 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIUC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $13,351 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#2

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Aurora University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. Aurora University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Aurora, Illinois. It awarded 141 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Aurora did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Aurora is $15,881 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full Aurora Social Work Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Springfield. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIS has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Springfield is $11,857 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full UIS Social Work Report

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 Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 38 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $13,705 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full SIUE Social Work Report

#5

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Governors State University landed the #5 spot on the list. GSU is a public institution located in University Park, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GSU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Governors State University is $11,872 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Social Work at Governors State University

With a ranking of #6, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public institution located in Carbondale, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $14,985 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Social Work Report

#7

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

With a ranking of #7, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 39 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $15,912 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Social Work at WIU

With a ranking of #8, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 132 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $18,180 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Read full report on Social Work at Northeastern Illinois University

#9

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

Illinois State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Illinois State 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 social work students whose families make $48-$75k list, Illinois State has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $19,080 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Illinois State University.

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 Social Work at Illinois State University

#10

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Saint Francis is a small school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 11 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $48-$75k list, University of Saint Francis has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of St Francis is $14,220 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 full report on Social Work at University of St Francis

#11

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Olivet Nazarene, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene is $17,841 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 more about Social Work at Olivet Nazarene University

#12

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Augustine College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Saint Augustine College is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at St. Augustine College, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for St. Augustine College is $15,013 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full St. Augustine College Social Work Report

#13

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Millikin is a small school located in Decatur, Illinois that handed out 10 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Millikin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Millikin University is $20,390 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 Social Work at Millikin University

#14

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, Bradley University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Bradley University 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.

Bradley also took the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley University is $22,865 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Work at Bradley

#15

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 17 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Concordia University, Chicago also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #18. It costs about $17,295 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Concordia University, Chicago.

Read full report on Social Work at Concordia University, Chicago

#16

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, National Louis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

NLU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NLU is $16,888 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Social Work at National Louis University

#17

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, Illinois

Trinity Christian College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. Trinity Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Palos Heights, Illinois. It awarded 7 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Trinity Christian did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Trinity Christian is $20,888 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. 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 Social Work at Trinity Christian

#18

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Loyola University Chicago is $32,259 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

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