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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work

21 Ranked Colleges
2,720 Degrees Awarded
$27,300 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Social Work is the 13th most popular major in the country with 58,326 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, social work graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $37,651 and had an average of $26,679 in loans still to pay off.

Across Illinois, there were 2,720 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,486 and $25,281 respectively.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work” ranking analyzed 21 colleges that offered a degree in social work. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality social work programs as well as strong veteran support.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the social work program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work” list to help you make the college decision.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work”.

Top 21 Best Social Work Colleges for Veterans in Illinois

1

Out of the 21 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 226 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois vets studying social work list, UIUC has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 10 of the 52,679 students enrolled at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign]](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign/student-life/veterans/)

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

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 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 175 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois vets studying social work list, UChicago has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Chicago supports 17,834 students, and 241 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 113 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,948. During this same period, 58 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Chicago]](/colleges/university-of-chicago/student-life/veterans/)

3

Out of the 21 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #3 spot on the list. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 251 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UIC supports 33,518 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $23,878. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at UIC]](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-chicago/student-life/veterans/)

4
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Aurora University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. Aurora, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s social work degrees to 712 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Aurora, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 3 of the 6,265 students enrolled at Aurora were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,999. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Aurora Veteran Student Life Report

5
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Loyola University Chicago. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 317 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois vets studying social work list, Loyola Chicago has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 16,893 students enrolled at Loyola University Chicago, 261 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 165 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,263. In addition to receiving other benefits, 78 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Loyola University Chicago does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Loyola Chicago]](/colleges/loyola-university-chicago/student-life/veterans/)

6

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work ranking. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school handed out 64 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

SIUE did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 12,860 students enrolled at SIUE, 3 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $23,082. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

7

With a ranking of #7, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. Located in Carbondale, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 108 diplomas to qualified ’s social work students in 2020-2021.

SIUC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 11,366 students enrolled at SIUC, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Veteran Student Life Report

8

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work ranking, coming in at #8. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 88 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Illinois State University supports 20,720 students, and 530 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 163 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,997. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

[Read full report on veteran student life at Illinois State University]](/colleges/illinois-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

9
University of Saint Francis crest
University of St Francis
Joliet, Illinois

University of St Francis did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work ranking, coming in at #9. This small school is located in Joliet, Illinois, and it awarded 29 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Saint Francis, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 3,529 students enrolled at University of St Francis, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,734. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of St Francis]](/colleges/university-of-st-francis/student-life/veterans/)

10

Western Illinois University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. Macomb, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.

WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, WIU supports 7,490 students, and 330 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 62 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,652. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

11

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work ranking. Northeastern Illinois University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 163 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Northeastern Illinois University also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 147 of the 7,119 students enrolled at Northeastern Illinois University were GI Bill® students, of which 83 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,460. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

12
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Governors State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work ranking, coming in at #12. Governors State University is a small school located in University Park, Illinois that handed out 75 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GSU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 4,650 students enrolled at GSU, 146 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 80 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,291. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. GSU offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

13
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 17 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 528 of the 21,922 students enrolled at DePaul University were GI Bill® students, of which 367 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,957. In addition to receiving other benefits, 101 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. DePaul University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 DePaul Veteran Student Life Report

14
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, Olivet Nazarene University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. Olivet Nazarene University is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 3,764 students enrolled at Olivet Nazarene University, 57 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 35 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,334. To help with additional expenses, 11 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read More…

15

University of Illinois at Springfield came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work ranking. UIS is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois vets studying social work list, UIS has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 214 of the 4,146 students enrolled at University of Illinois at Springfield were GI Bill® students, of which 106 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,253. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Read More…

16
NLU crest
National Louis University
Chicago, Illinois

National Louis University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work ranking. NLU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 25 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois vets studying social work list, NLU has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 7,402 students enrolled at National Louis University, 15 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 14 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,078. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Read More…

17
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #17, Dominican University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. This small school is located in River Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 74 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

Dominican U also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 3,189 students enrolled at Dominican University, 37 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 17 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,038. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Dominican University]](/colleges/dominican-university/student-life/veterans/)

18
CSU crest
Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

CSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 2,644 students enrolled at CSU, 94 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 48 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,489. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Chicago State University]](/colleges/chicago-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

19
The Erikson Institute crest
Erikson Institute
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #19, Erikson Institute did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. Erikson Institute is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 39 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The Erikson Institute also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 457 students enrolled at The Erikson Institute were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at The Erikson Institute]](/colleges/erikson-institute/student-life/veterans/)

20
St. Augustine College crest
Saint Augustine College
Chicago, Illinois

Saint Augustine College ranked #20 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. Saint Augustine College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

St. Augustine College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 901 students enrolled at St. Augustine College, 6 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 4 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,227. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Full Saint Augustine College Veteran Student Life Report

21
Concordia University, Chicago crest
Concordia University, Chicago
River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago ranked #21 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work list. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 11 ’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Concordia University, Chicago, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 6,491 students enrolled at Concordia University, Chicago, 134 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 96 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,085. To help with additional expenses, 4 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Concordia University, Chicago Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

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