2026 Best Value Human Resources Development Schools in Illinois

[Human Resources Development](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/human-resource-management/human-resources-development/) 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for human resources development students.
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2026 Best Value Human Resources Development Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the human resources development degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Human Resources Development Schools
Leading the list is Northeastern Illinois University, our #1 best value for human resources development in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $12,383 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,726. Students borrow a median of $15,365 to complete the human resources development program here. Human Resources Development graduates of Northeastern Illinois University earn a median of $49,131 early in their careers. Set against $15,365 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Students looking for strong value in human resources development will find it at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Human Resources Development graduates carry a median of $20,778 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human resources development degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $89,637. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in human resources development will find it at Eastern Illinois University, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Charleston, Eastern Illinois University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,377 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,859. Students borrow a median of $24,293 to complete the human resources development program here. Soon after graduation, human resources development degree recipients from Eastern Illinois University generally make around $43,603. Set against $24,293 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Illinois University admits about 65% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of St Francis one of the best values for human resources development. University Of St Francis is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Joliet. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $38,110. Human Resources Development graduates carry a median of $25,695 in student loans. Soon after graduation, human resources development degree recipients from University Of St Francis generally make around $94,853. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Students looking for strong value in human resources development will find it at Roosevelt University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Chicago, Roosevelt University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,315. Students borrow a median of $23,879 to complete the human resources development program here. Human Resources Development graduates of Roosevelt University earn a median of $64,145 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,879 median debt. Roosevelt University admits about 97% of applicants.
Depaul University earned the #6 position for value in human resources development this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Students borrow a median of $25,310 to complete the human resources development program here. Human Resources Development graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $68,993 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
More Human Resources Development Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 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.