2027 Best Value Interior Design Schools in Illinois
[Interior Design](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/design-and-applied-arts/interior-design/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for interior design students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Interior Design Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the interior design degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Interior Design Schools
Joliet Junior College earned the #1 spot for value among interior design schools in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Joliet, Joliet Junior College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $4,530 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $13,800. Students borrow a median of $11,995 to complete the interior design program here. Interior Design graduates of Joliet Junior College earn a median of $40,118 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at College Of Dupage earned it the #2 place for interior design. College Of Dupage is a very large public school located in the suburb of Glen Ellyn. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,560, while out-of-state students pay about $12,750. Students borrow a median of $11,077 to complete the interior design program here. Early-career interior design graduates make about $31,798. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes Harper College one of the best values for interior design. Set in the suburb of Palatine, Harper College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,894, compared with $11,874 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,963 to complete the interior design program here. Interior Design graduates of Harper College earn a median of $44,523 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,963 median debt.
Illinois State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value interior design schools. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,410, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Typical student debt for interior design graduates is $24,986. Interior Design graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $39,287 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Columbia College Chicago came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value interior design schools. Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students from in state pay about $34,088 in tuition and fees. Interior Design graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career interior design graduates make about $29,630. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Columbia College Chicago admits about 90% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
