2026 Best Value Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching Schools in Illinois
[Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching](/majors/education/teacher-education-development-levels-methods/kindergarten-preschool-education-and-teaching/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong kindergarten/preschool education & teaching education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value kindergarten/preschool education & teaching schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Kindergarten/Preschool Education & Teaching Schools
Eastern Illinois University tops our 2026 list of the best value kindergarten/preschool education & teaching schools in Illinois. Located in the town of Charleston, Eastern Illinois University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,377, while out-of-state students pay about $15,859. Students borrow a median of $22,075 to complete the kindergarten/preschool education & teaching program here. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of Eastern Illinois University earn a median of $41,582 early in their careers. Set against $22,075 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Illinois University admits about 65% of applicants.
Loyola University Chicago is a great value for students pursuing a degree in kindergarten/preschool education & teaching, landing the #2 spot this year. Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students from in state pay about $53,710 in tuition and fees. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Kindergarten/preschool Education & Teaching graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $58,568 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 82%.
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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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
