2026 Best Value Agricultural Economics & Business Schools in Illinois
[Agricultural Economics & Business](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/agricultural-economics-business/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 29 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value agricultural economics & business schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Agricultural Economics & Business Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the agricultural economics & business degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Agricultural Economics & Business Schools
Lake Land College tops our 2026 list of the best value agricultural economics & business schools in Illinois. Lake Land College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Mattoon. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,415, with out-of-state students paying around $14,301. Students borrow a median of $7,769 to complete the agricultural economics & business program here. Early-career agricultural economics & business graduates make about $30,294. Set against $7,769 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Harper College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agricultural economics & business, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Palatine, Harper College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,894 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,874. Typical student debt for agricultural economics & business graduates is $10,963. Soon after graduation, agricultural economics & business degree recipients from Harper College generally make around $44,523. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #3 makes City Colleges Of Chicago Olive Harvey College one of the best values for agricultural economics & business. Set in the city of Chicago, City Colleges Of Chicago Olive Harvey College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,590, compared with $15,150 for out-of-state students. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates carry a median of $8,478 in student loans. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates of City Colleges Of Chicago Olive Harvey College earn a median of $25,842 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
John Wood Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agricultural economics & business, landing the #4 spot this year. John Wood Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Quincy. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,100, with out-of-state students paying around $8,700. Typical student debt for agricultural economics & business graduates is $13,844. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates of John Wood Community College earn a median of $45,748 early in their careers. Set against $13,844 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in agricultural economics & business will find it at Black Hawk College, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Moline, Black Hawk College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,920, while out-of-state students pay about $8,100. Students borrow a median of $11,340 to complete the agricultural economics & business program here. Soon after graduation, agricultural economics & business degree recipients from Black Hawk College generally make around $44,286. That is a strong return on a $11,340 median debt.
Kaskaskia College came in at #6 for value in agricultural economics & business this year. Located in the rural area of Centralia, Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,800, with out-of-state students paying around $12,570. Students borrow a median of $7,875 to complete the agricultural economics & business program here. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates of Kaskaskia College earn a median of $45,658 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Olney Central College came in at #7 for value in agricultural economics & business this year. Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Olney Central College is a large public school located in the town of Olney. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,260, compared with $12,460 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,434 to complete the agricultural economics & business program here. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates of Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Olney Central College earn a median of $38,331 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value agricultural economics & business schools. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $20,000 to complete the agricultural economics & business program here. Soon after graduation, agricultural economics & business degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $55,934. That is a strong return on a $20,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Illinois Central College placed #9 among the best values for agricultural economics & business. Illinois Central College is a large public school located in the suburb of East Peoria. Students from in state pay about $4,800 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,150 for out-of-state students. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates carry a median of $12,222 in student loans. Early-career agricultural economics & business graduates make about $53,190. Set against $12,222 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned the #10 position for value in agricultural economics & business this year. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. In-state tuition and fees average $13,334. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates carry a median of $15,000 in student loans. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $40,194 early in their careers. Set against $15,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Illinois College placed #11 among the best values for agricultural economics & business. Located in the town of Jacksonville, Illinois College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $38,676. Typical student debt for agricultural economics & business graduates is $26,922. Agricultural Economics & Business graduates of Illinois College earn a median of $41,184 early in their careers. Set against $26,922 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
More Agricultural Economics & Business Rankings
View All Agricultural Economics & Business Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 29 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.
