Ranking
Best Education, General Colleges in Illinois 2026
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads this ROI ranking with a A value grade and a 14.12 ROI score. EduGradify ranks 21 colleges here by earnings against net price.
21 Illinois colleges offering Education, General, ranked by EduGradify value grade.
- Schools ranked
- 21
- Cheapest net price
- $10,970
- Top earnings 10y
- $89,363
- Public / Private
- 3 / 18
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
A- ROI score
- 14.12
- Net price
- $14,355
- Earnings 10y
- $81,054
- Acceptance
- 42.4%
Saint Xavier University
A- ROI score
- 13.37
- Net price
- $10,970
- Earnings 10y
- $58,656
- Acceptance
- 84.3%
Dominican University
A- ROI score
- 12.84
- Net price
- $11,745
- Earnings 10y
- $60,327
- Acceptance
- 90.3%
Northern Illinois University
A- ROI score
- 10.79
- Net price
- $13,391
- Earnings 10y
- $57,808
- Acceptance
- 69.8%
Western Illinois University
B- ROI score
- 10.47
- Net price
- $12,937
- Earnings 10y
- $54,163
- Acceptance
- 71.2%
North Park University
B- ROI score
- 8.79
- Net price
- $16,948
- Earnings 10y
- $59,572
- Acceptance
- 68.5%
Northwestern University
B- ROI score
- 7.66
- Net price
- $29,167
- Earnings 10y
- $89,363
- Acceptance
- 7.7%
Eureka College
B- ROI score
- 7.44
- Net price
- $17,349
- Earnings 10y
- $51,641
- Acceptance
- 85%
Concordia University-Chicago
C- ROI score
- 7.33
- Net price
- $18,436
- Earnings 10y
- $54,089
- Acceptance
- 92.8%
Trinity Christian College
C- ROI score
- 7.28
- Net price
- $19,125
- Earnings 10y
- $55,700
- Acceptance
- 84.9%
Illinois College
C- ROI score
- 7.18
- Net price
- $18,298
- Earnings 10y
- $52,575
- Acceptance
- 78.2%
Elmhurst University
C- ROI score
- 6.35
- Net price
- $24,185
- Earnings 10y
- $61,462
- Acceptance
- 73.6%
Illinois Wesleyan University
C- ROI score
- 6.28
- Net price
- $28,199
- Earnings 10y
- $70,871
- Acceptance
- 39.3%
Quincy University
C- ROI score
- 6.19
- Net price
- $20,359
- Earnings 10y
- $50,369
- Acceptance
- 50.9%
Rockford University
C- ROI score
- 6.11
- Net price
- $22,436
- Earnings 10y
- $54,794
- Acceptance
- 92.9%
Roosevelt University
C- ROI score
- 6.03
- Net price
- $20,194
- Earnings 10y
- $48,712
- Acceptance
- 97.2%
Greenville University
C- ROI score
- 5.99
- Net price
- $19,533
- Earnings 10y
- $46,827
- Acceptance
- 97.5%
McKendree University
C- ROI score
- 5.92
- Net price
- $24,717
- Earnings 10y
- $58,572
- Acceptance
- 71.7%
Knox College
C- ROI score
- 5.57
- Net price
- $24,595
- Earnings 10y
- $54,820
- Acceptance
- 70.8%
Lake Forest College
D- ROI score
- 5.39
- Net price
- $28,673
- Earnings 10y
- $61,825
- Acceptance
- 56.8%
Hebrew Theological College
D- ROI score
- 3.10
- Net price
- $26,861
- Earnings 10y
- $33,291
- Acceptance
- 57.1%
How we picked this list
This list starts with Illinois schools with positive Education, General program-share evidence, then sorts by EduGradify's school-wide ROI proxy: ten-year median earnings weighed against average net price. The set's average EduGradify ROI score is 7.82 (3 public, 18 private).
Source transparency: every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard public data set. See our full methodology for the ROI formula, value grade rules and missing-data handling.
FAQ
Who leads this ranking?
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, IL tops this ranking. EduGradify value grade is A.
How does EduGradify pick this list?
We rank this set by roi score using the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — see our methodology for the full formula. No paid placements, no surveys.
How many Illinois colleges are in this list?
21 Illinois colleges qualified for this ranking based on available federal data.
What does net price mean here?
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. It is reported by each college to the U.S. Department of Education.
Can I use this ranking as a final college decision?
Use it as a shortlist, not a final decision. The ranking compares school-wide federal data; you should still confirm program fit, aid letters, graduation path, transfer policies and current costs with each college.