2026 Best Value General Business/Commerce Schools in Illinois
[General Business/Commerce](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/general-business-commerce/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 25 schools to find the best return on investment for general business/commerce students.
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2026 Best Value General Business/Commerce Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general business/commerce degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Business/Commerce Schools
Leading the list is Moraine Valley Community College, our #1 best value for general business/commerce in Illinois. Set in the suburb of Palos Hills, Moraine Valley Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,822, compared with $9,846 for out-of-state students. General Business/commerce graduates carry a median of $11,149 in student loans. General Business/commerce graduates of Moraine Valley Community College earn a median of $43,844 early in their careers. Set against $11,149 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general business/commerce will find it at Richland Community College, which ranked #2. Richland Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Decatur. In-state tuition and fees average $4,680, compared with $17,070 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,562 to complete the general business/commerce program here. General Business/commerce graduates of Richland Community College earn a median of $46,233 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in general business/commerce will find it at Kaskaskia College, which ranked #3. Located in the rural area of Centralia, Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,800, compared with $12,570 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $7,875 to complete the general business/commerce program here. Soon after graduation, general business/commerce degree recipients from Kaskaskia College generally make around $45,658. Set against $7,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #4 makes Rend Lake College one of the best values for general business/commerce. Set in the rural area of Ina, Rend Lake College is a mid-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,500, with out-of-state students paying around $7,800. Typical student debt for general business/commerce graduates is $8,688. Early-career general business/commerce graduates make about $42,770. Set against $8,688 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general business/commerce will find it at Saint Xavier University, which ranked #5. Saint Xavier University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. In-state tuition and fees average $38,945. General Business/commerce graduates carry a median of $26,845 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general business/commerce degree recipients from Saint Xavier University generally make around $44,190. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Northeastern Illinois University came in at #6 for value in general business/commerce this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,383, while out-of-state students pay about $22,726. General Business/commerce graduates carry a median of $17,788 in student loans. Early-career general business/commerce graduates make about $45,015. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Northeastern Illinois University admits about 75% of applicants.
University Of Chicago came in at #7 for value in general business/commerce this year. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $69,324 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general business/commerce graduates is $15,854. Soon after graduation, general business/commerce degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $81,002. Set against $15,854 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Trinity International University Illinois earned the #8 position for value in general business/commerce this year. Located in the suburb of Deerfield, Trinity International University Illinois is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $12,320 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,180 to complete the general business/commerce program here. Early-career general business/commerce graduates make about $47,463. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 100%.
Lake Forest College landed the #9 spot for general business/commerce value this year. Set in the suburb of Lake Forest, Lake Forest College is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $56,402. General Business/commerce graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career general business/commerce graduates make about $44,283. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Illinois Wesleyan University came in at #10 for value in general business/commerce this year. Illinois Wesleyan University is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Bloomington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $57,704. Students borrow a median of $26,857 to complete the general business/commerce program here. General Business/commerce graduates of Illinois Wesleyan University earn a median of $50,808 early in their careers. Set against $26,857 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 39% of applicants are accepted.
Devry University Illinois placed #11 among the best values for general business/commerce. Located in the suburb of Lisle, Devry University Illinois is a very large private for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,008. Typical student debt for general business/commerce graduates is $38,840. Soon after graduation, general business/commerce degree recipients from Devry University Illinois generally make around $50,368. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Devry University Illinois admits about 98% 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 · 25 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
