by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a degree. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard. This list is proof that you shouldn't avoid normally high-priced schools, since the actual price may be very affordable if you qualify for financial aid.
In This Year's Value Report:
After analyzing 46 schools in Illinois, we came up with our list of those that offered the best value Associate Degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best value schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
To calculate the value of a school in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking, we first consider its average net price of students from families making $0-$30k a year. The net price is the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that that the student receives. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how much it costs.
To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.
Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Elgin Community College to be the best value (income $0-$30k) school for associate degrees in Illinois in this year’s ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Elgin, Illinois.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Elgin Community College is ranked #6 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,633.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend College of Lake County. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. College of Lake County is a fairly large public school situated in Grayslake, Illinois.
Not only is College of Lake County a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,118.
The quality degree programs at College of DuPage helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois. COD is located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and has a large student population. It is a public school.
College of DuPage has the honor of being ranked #8 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,711.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Moraine Valley Community College. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. Moraine Valley Community College is a fairly large public school located in Palos Hills, Illinois.
Moraine Valley Community College has the honor of being ranked #14 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,561.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Joliet Junior College. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. Joliet, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Joliet Junior College has the honor of being ranked #19 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,766.
City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. Harold Washington College is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois.
City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College has the honor of being ranked #10 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,460.
Full City Colleges of Chicago - Harold Washington College Value Report
City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. Wilbur Wright College is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Not only is City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College a great value, but it is also ranked #18 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,363.
Full City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College Value Report
City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the school is a small public institution.
Not only is City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College a great value, but it is also ranked #5 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,850.
Learn More About Value at City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College
With a ranking of #9, Waubonsee Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. Sugar Grove, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Waubonsee Community College is ranked #16 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,720.
William Rainey Harper College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. Palatine, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, William Rainey Harper College is ranked #4 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,187.
Lincoln Land Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking, coming in at #11. LLCC is located in Springfield, Illinois and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Lincoln Land Community College is ranked #12 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,237.
Carl Sandburg College landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. Galesburg, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Carl Sandburg College has the honor of being ranked #26 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,076.
Black Hawk College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking, coming in at #13. Moline, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Black Hawk College has the honor of being ranked #31 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,715.
Triton College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. Triton College is located in River Grove, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Triton College has the honor of being ranked #13 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,916.
Danville Area Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. DACC is a small public school situated in Danville, Illinois.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Danville Area Community College is ranked #25 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,295.
With a ranking of #16, City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. Harry S Truman College is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a small student population. It is a public school.
City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College has the honor of being ranked #15 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,819.
Read full value report on City Colleges of Chicago - Harry S Truman College
City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley College is a small public school located in Chicago, Illinois.
City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley College has the honor of being ranked #29 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,503.
Full City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley College Value Report
Lewis and Clark Community College landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. Lewis and Clark Community College is located in Godfrey, Illinois and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Lewis and Clark Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #28 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,580.
Oakton Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking, coming in at #19. Oakton Community College is a public institution located in Des Plaines, Illinois.
Not only is Oakton Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #9 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,622.
Prairie State College landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago Heights, Illinois, the school is a small public institution.
Prairie State College has the honor of being ranked #17 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,270.
South Suburban College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking, coming in at #21. SSC is a public institution located in South Holland, Illinois.
South Suburban College has the honor of being ranked #11 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,109.
With a ranking of #22, City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College is ranked #21 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,738.
Learn More About Value at City Colleges of Chicago - Malcolm X College
Shawnee Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. Shawnee Community College is a small public school situated in Ullin, Illinois.
Shawnee Community College has the honor of being ranked #30 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,489.
Lake Land College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. This small public school is located in Mattoon, Illinois.
Lake Land College has the honor of being ranked #38 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,680.
McHenry County College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in Illinois ranking. MCC is a medium-sized public school situated in Crystal Lake, Illinois.
Not only is McHenry County College a great value, but it is also ranked #20 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,486.
View Best Value Associate Degree Schools (Income $0-$30k) Nationwide >
All Majors and Fields of Study >
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
