2026 Best Value Entrepreneurship Schools in Illinois
[Entrepreneurship](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/entrepreneurial-studies/entrepreneurship/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 34 schools to find the best return on investment for entrepreneurship students.
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2026 Best Value Entrepreneurship Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the entrepreneurship degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Entrepreneurship Schools
Joliet Junior College earned the #1 spot for value among entrepreneurship schools in Illinois. Joliet Junior College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Joliet. Students from in state pay about $4,530 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,800 for out-of-state students. Entrepreneurship graduates carry a median of $11,995 in student loans. Soon after graduation, entrepreneurship degree recipients from Joliet Junior College generally make around $40,118. That is a strong return on a $11,995 median debt.
Kaskaskia College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value entrepreneurship schools. Located in the rural area of Centralia, Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,800 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,570. Entrepreneurship graduates carry a median of $7,875 in student loans. Early-career entrepreneurship graduates make about $45,658. Set against $7,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes Parkland College one of the best values for entrepreneurship. Set in the city of Champaign, Parkland College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,284, with out-of-state students paying around $13,266. Typical student debt for entrepreneurship graduates is $10,168. Early-career entrepreneurship graduates make about $40,409. That is a strong return on a $10,168 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign one of the best values for entrepreneurship. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Entrepreneurship graduates carry a median of $20,778 in student loans. Soon after graduation, entrepreneurship degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $57,461. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Illinois At Chicago is a great value for students pursuing a degree in entrepreneurship, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Typical student debt for entrepreneurship graduates is $20,115. Entrepreneurship graduates of University Of Illinois At Chicago earn a median of $61,829 early in their careers. Set against $20,115 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.
Concordia University Chicago came in at #6 for value in entrepreneurship this year. Set in the suburb of River Forest, Concordia University Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,488. Students borrow a median of $26,956 to complete the entrepreneurship program here. Soon after graduation, entrepreneurship degree recipients from Concordia University Chicago generally make around $58,760. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Concordia University Chicago admits about 93% of applicants.
Loyola University Chicago landed the #7 spot for entrepreneurship value this year. Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,710. Entrepreneurship graduates carry a median of $23,521 in student loans. Soon after graduation, entrepreneurship degree recipients from Loyola University Chicago generally make around $45,869. That is a strong return on a $23,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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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 · 34 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.
