2026 Best Value Industrial Design Schools in Illinois
[Industrial Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/industrial-design/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for industrial design students.
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2026 Best Value Industrial Design Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the industrial design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Industrial Design Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Chicago, our #1 best value for industrial design in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,949, compared with $32,009 for out-of-state students. Industrial Design graduates carry a median of $25,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, industrial design degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Chicago generally make around $34,377. That is a strong return on a $25,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value industrial design schools. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Students borrow a median of $18,839 to complete the industrial design program here. Early-career industrial design graduates make about $57,461. Set against $18,839 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Depaul University one of the best values for industrial design. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Typical student debt for industrial design graduates is $27,000. Industrial Design graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $30,536 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
