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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Biomedical Engineering Schools in Illinois

6 Colleges in the United States
$20,787 Avg Student Debt
$75,911 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Biomedical Engineering Badge [Biomedical Engineering](/majors/engineering/biomedical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for biomedical engineering students.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Biomedical Engineering Schools in Illinois

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in biomedical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Biomedical Engineering Schools

1

For return on investment in biomedical engineering, no school beat University Of Illinois At Chicago this year. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, while out-of-state students pay about $32,009. Biomedical Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, biomedical engineering degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Chicago generally make around $55,011. That is a strong return on a $22,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 77%.

2

A rank of #2 makes University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign one of the best values for biomedical engineering. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Students borrow a median of $16,850 to complete the biomedical engineering program here. Biomedical Engineering graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $71,485 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.

3

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northern Illinois University earned it the #3 place for biomedical engineering. Northern Illinois University is a large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,060. Students borrow a median of $20,521 to complete the biomedical engineering program here. Early-career biomedical engineering graduates make about $54,047. That is a strong return on a $20,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 70%.

4

Illinois Institute Of Technology came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value biomedical engineering schools. Illinois Institute Of Technology is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,202. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the biomedical engineering program here. Early-career biomedical engineering graduates make about $48,572. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 55%.

5

Students looking for strong value in biomedical engineering will find it at Northwestern University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for biomedical engineering graduates is $17,063. Soon after graduation, biomedical engineering degree recipients from Northwestern University generally make around $74,631. Set against $17,063 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northwestern University admits about 8% of applicants.

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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 · 7 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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