2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Illinois
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/education-general/) 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 27 schools to find the best return on investment for general education students.
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2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Education Schools
Our analysis ranked City Colleges Of Chicago Harry S Truman College the best value for a degree in general education in Illinois. City Colleges Of Chicago Harry S Truman College is a large public school located in the city of Chicago. Students from in state pay about $4,590 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,150. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $11,458. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from City Colleges Of Chicago Harry S Truman College generally make around $27,158. That is a strong return on a $11,458 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Illinois University earned it the #2 place for general education. Set in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,572. Students borrow a median of $27,639 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $47,926. That is a strong return on a $27,639 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northern Illinois University earned it the #3 place for general education. Located in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,060 in tuition and fees. General Education graduates carry a median of $25,209 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $50,338. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 70%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general education schools. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $20,778 to complete the general education program here. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $62,620. Set against $20,778 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Trinity Christian College earned it the #5 place for general education. Trinity Christian College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Palos Heights. In-state tuition and fees average $20,605. General Education graduates carry a median of $28,722 in student loans. General Education graduates of Trinity Christian College earn a median of $48,400 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Quincy University earned the #6 position for value in general education this year. Set in the town of Quincy, Quincy University is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $37,140 in tuition and fees. General Education graduates carry a median of $26,691 in student loans. Early-career general education graduates make about $52,088. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Quincy University admits about 51% of applicants.
North Park University landed the #7 spot for general education value this year. North Park University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,710. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $27,360. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from North Park University generally make around $57,383. That is a strong return on a $27,360 median debt. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Greenville College came in at #8 for value in general education this year. Located in the town of Greenville, Greenville College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $32,200. Students borrow a median of $25,933 to complete the general education program here. General Education graduates of Greenville College earn a median of $36,911 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Rockford College earned the #9 position for value in general education this year. Located in the city of Rockford, Rockford College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $37,780. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $28,094. General Education graduates of Rockford College earn a median of $56,020 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,094 median debt. Rockford College admits about 93% of applicants.
Mckendree University placed #10 among the best values for general education. Located in the suburb of Lebanon, Mckendree University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,740. General Education graduates carry a median of $24,362 in student loans. Early-career general education graduates make about $50,945. Set against $24,362 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Lake Forest College earned the #11 position for value in general education this year. Located in the suburb of Lake Forest, Lake Forest College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $56,402. General Education graduates carry a median of $26,661 in student loans. Early-career general education graduates make about $41,168. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
More General Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 27 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.
