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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work in Illinois (With Aid)

18 Ranked Colleges
791 Degrees Awarded
$18,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 57,618 people earned their degree in social work, making the major the 12th most popular in the United States. 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 Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree in social work. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality social work programs that also have a lower cost than 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 Getting Aid”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work in Illinois (With Aid)

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 78 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for UIUC is $15,880 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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 more about Social Work at UIUC

#2

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Governors State University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. 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 $12,077 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid.

Read full report on Social Work at GSU

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Springfield. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.

UIS also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend UIS is $12,477 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid.

Read full report on Social Work at UIS

#4

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Augustine College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. St. Augustine College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 25 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

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 yearly cost to attend Saint Augustine College is $12,193 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid.

Full Saint Augustine College Social Work Report

#5

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 #5 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. 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.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid list, Aurora has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $17,215 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid per year to attend Aurora University.

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

#6

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 39 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $16,210 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid.

Read more about Social Work at Western Illinois University

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 38 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid list, SIUE has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $14,423 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid.

Read more about Social Work at SIUE

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 Getting Aid 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.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid list, Northeastern Illinois University has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northeastern Illinois University is $15,843 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Social Work Report

Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.

SIUC also took the #10 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $16,945 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid per year to attend SIUC.

Read more about Social Work at SIUC

#10

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois

With a ranking of #10, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Illinois State is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 51 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Illinois State also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $20,895 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid per year to attend Illinois State University.

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%.

Full Illinois State University Social Work Report

#11

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

University of St Francis landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.

University of Saint Francis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of St Francis is $17,538 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid.

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

#12

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

National Louis University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

NLU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for National Louis University is $14,957 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid.

Read more about Social Work at National Louis University

#13

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

With a ranking of #13, Olivet Nazarene University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Bourbonnais, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

Olivet Nazarene not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $20,195 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.

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 Olivet Nazarene University Social Work Report

#14

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Concordia University, Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid list, Concordia University, Chicago has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $16,512 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid per year to attend Concordia University, Chicago.

Read more about Social Work at Concordia University, Chicago

#15

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois

Millikin University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Decatur, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

Millikin also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Millikin University is $21,331 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid.

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 Millikin

#16

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Bradley is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 20 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid list, Bradley has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bradley is $25,634 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Work at Bradley 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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Trinity Christian is a private not-for-profit institution located in Palos Heights, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Trinity Christian, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Trinity Christian College is $21,904 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid.

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. The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Trinity Christian College Social Work Report

#18

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Loyola University 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.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students with aid list, Loyola Chicago has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Chicago is $35,407 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students with aid.

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

Full Loyola University Chicago Social Work Report

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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