2026 Best Value Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology Schools in Illinois

[Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/cell-biology-anatomical-sciences/cell-cellular-and-molecular-biology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong cell/cellular & molecular biology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value cell/cellular & molecular biology schools.
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2026 Best Value Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in cell/cellular & molecular biology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Cell/Cellular & Molecular Biology Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign the best value for a degree in cell/cellular & molecular biology in Illinois. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Cell/cellular & Molecular Biology graduates carry a median of $22,000 in student loans. Cell/cellular & Molecular Biology graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $29,777 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Illinois State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in cell/cellular & molecular biology, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,410, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Typical student debt for cell/cellular & molecular biology graduates is $22,500. Cell/cellular & Molecular Biology graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $34,154 early in their careers. Set against $22,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
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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 · 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.