2026 Best Value Business Economics Schools in Illinois
[Business Economics](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/business-managerial-economics/business-economics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong business economics education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 9 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for business economics students.
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2026 Best Value Business Economics Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in business economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Business Economics Schools
Wheaton College Illinois tops our 2026 list of the best value business economics schools in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,546. Students borrow a median of $24,000 to complete the business economics program here. Business Economics graduates of Wheaton College Illinois earn a median of $55,300 early in their careers. Set against $24,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wheaton College Illinois admits about 87% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northwestern University earned it the #2 place for business economics. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,322. Business Economics graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Soon after graduation, business economics degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $78,551. Set against $16,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Depaul University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in business economics, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $45,405 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for business economics graduates is $21,666. Early-career business economics graduates make about $53,682. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Loyola University Chicago earned it the #4 place for business economics. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $53,710 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $21,574 to complete the business economics program here. Early-career business economics graduates make about $61,333. That is a strong return on a $21,574 median debt. Loyola University Chicago admits about 82% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
