Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois

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

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” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Social Work is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 8th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 56,762 degrees were awarded to students with this major.

Across Illinois, there were 2,650 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 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” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree in social work. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social work programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social work program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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

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

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work in Illinois

#1

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Illinois State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Illinois State is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 51 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also took the #4 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $20,895 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.

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

#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 78 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $15,880 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 UIUC Social Work Report

#3

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Western Illinois University landed the #3 spot on the list. Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

WIU also took the #5 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for WIU is $16,210 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.

Read full report on Social Work at Western Illinois University

#4

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Augustine College landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

St. Augustine College also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend St. Augustine College is $12,193 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.

Full Saint Augustine College Social Work Report

#7 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 38 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students 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 $14,423 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.

Read more about Social Work at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#6 in overall quality

Northeastern Illinois University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois 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.

Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $15,843 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.

Read full report on Social Work at Northeastern Illinois University

#7

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Governors State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. GSU is located in University Park, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 44 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

GSU also took the #13 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Governors State University is $12,077 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students.

Full Governors State University Social Work Report

#12 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. UIS is a small school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 19 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree social work students 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 UIS is $12,477 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students.

Read full report on Social Work at UIS

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 47 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $16,945 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students per year to attend SIUC.

Read more about Social Work at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#10

Aurora University

Aurora, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Aurora University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $17,215 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students per year to attend Aurora.

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 Aurora University

#11

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, National Louis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. NLU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend NLU is $14,957 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.

Read more about Social Work at NLU

#12

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Bradley University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Bradley is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Peoria, Illinois. It awarded 20 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Bradley, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bradley is $25,634 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students.

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 Social Work at Bradley

#13

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work 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 per year to attend Olivet Nazarene.

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 Olivet Nazarene

#14

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

University of St Francis ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Located in Joliet, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

University of Saint Francis also took the #14 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $17,538 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students per year to attend University of Saint Francis.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at University of St Francis

#15

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Trinity Christian College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. Trinity Christian College is located in Palos Heights, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

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. It costs about $21,904 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students per year to attend Trinity Christian.

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. 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%.

Read full report on Social Work at Trinity Christian College

#16

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois
#18 in overall quality

Concordia University, Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking, coming in at #16. Located in River Forest, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 17 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

Concordia University, Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Chicago is $16,512 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.

Read more about Social Work at Concordia University, Chicago

#17

Millikin University

Decatur, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Millikin University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois ranking. Millikin University is located in Decatur, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

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 yearly cost to attend Millikin University is $21,331 for illinois bachelor’s degree social work students.

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.

Read full report on Social Work at Millikin University

#18

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Loyola University Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois list. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 44 bachelors’s social work 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 $35,407 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola 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.

Credits

Featured Social Work Schools

Find Schools Near You