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

1 Colleges in the United States
$23,568 Avg Student Debt
$72,012 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Engineering Physics Badge [Engineering Physics](/majors/engineering/engineering-physics/) 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.

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

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Engineering Physics Schools in Illinois

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

Best Value Engineering Physics Schools

1

For return on investment in engineering physics, no school beat University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Typical student debt for engineering physics graduates is $20,136. Soon after graduation, engineering physics degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $64,304. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.

2

Augustana College Illinois came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering physics schools. Located in the city of Rock Island, Augustana College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $51,598 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for engineering physics graduates is $27,000. Engineering Physics graduates of Augustana College Illinois earn a median of $54,165 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.

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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 · 7 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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