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2023 Best Social Work Master’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Illinois

15 Ranked Colleges
1,711 Degrees Awarded
$28,600 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master's

Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Social Work is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 9th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 57,401 degrees were awarded to students with this major.

Across Illinois, there were 2,719 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 15 colleges that offer a degree in social work. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social work programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

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.

More Ways to Rank Social Work Schools

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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 “Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s”.

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

Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for illinois master’s degree vets studying social work.

Top 15 Best Social Work Master’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Illinois

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 155 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.Among the 52,679 students enrolled at UIUC, 10 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UIUC does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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 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%.

Read More…

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 15 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 166 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree vets studying social work list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Among the 17,834 students enrolled at UChicago, 241 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 113 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,948. During this same period, 58 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

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

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Chicago. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s. UIC is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 248 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 33,518 students enrolled at University of Illinois at Chicago were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $23,878. On top of their other funding sources, 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 UIC]](/colleges/university-of-illinois-at-chicago/student-life/veterans/)

4
Aurora crest
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 #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s. Aurora University is a medium-sized school located in Aurora, Illinois that handed out 478 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

Aurora also took the #4 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, Aurora University supports 6,265 students, and 3 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are 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 received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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 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 for a Master’s list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 253 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Loyola Chicago, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, Loyola University Chicago supports 16,893 students, and 261 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 165 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,263. On top of their other funding sources, 78 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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 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 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 for a Master’s ranking. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

SIUE also made our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #8.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 qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at SIUE]](/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/student-life/veterans/)

7

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s list. SIUC is a fairly large school located in Carbondale, Illinois that handed out 48 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

SIUC also took the #10 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 11,366 students enrolled at Southern Illinois University Carbondale 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 qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Southern Illinois University Carbondale does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

8
University of Saint Francis crest
University of St Francis
Joliet, Illinois

University of St Francis landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s ranking. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree vets studying social work list, University of Saint Francis has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Among the 3,529 students enrolled at University of St Francis, 2 are 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. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of St Francis does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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 Saint Francis]](/colleges/university-of-st-francis/student-life/veterans/)

9

Illinois State University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s list. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.

Illinois State also made our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7.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 Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,997. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Illinois State University 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%.

Read More…

10
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University ranked #10 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree vets studying social work list, DePaul has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, DePaul supports 21,922 students, and 528 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 367 are 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. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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%.

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

11
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Governors State University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s ranking. Governors State University is a public institution located in University Park, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 45 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GSU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” 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 tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,291. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Full Governors State University Veteran Student Life Report

12

With a ranking of #12, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s list. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 61 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree vets studying social work list, Northeastern Illinois University has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.According to our most recent data, Northeastern Illinois University supports 7,119 students, and 147 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 83 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,460. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Veteran Student Life Report

13
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

With a ranking of #13, Dominican University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s list. Dominican U is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 73 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Dominican U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.According to our most recent data, Dominican U supports 3,189 students, and 37 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 17 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,038. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 Dominican U Veteran Student Life Report

14
CSU crest
Chicago State University
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #14. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.

CSU also took the #15 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 94 of the 2,644 students enrolled at CSU were GI Bill® students, of which 48 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,489. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. CSU offers credit for military training for eligible students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

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

15
The Erikson Institute crest
Erikson Institute
Chicago, Illinois
1 GI Bill® Students**
#9 in overall quality

Erikson Institute did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Illinois for Social Work for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #15. Erikson Institute is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 39 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The Erikson Institute not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list.Of the 457 students enrolled at Erikson Institute, 1 were 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. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 The Erikson Institute Veteran Student Life Report

Notes and References

References

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Footnotes

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