2026 Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools in Illinois
[Rhetoric & Composition](/majors/english-language-literature/writing-studies/rhetoric-and-composition/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value rhetoric & composition schools.
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2026 Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in rhetoric & composition, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Rhetoric & Composition Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign the best value for a degree in rhetoric & composition in Illinois. 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, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Early-career rhetoric & composition graduates make about $24,225. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Elmhurst College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value rhetoric & composition schools. Set in the suburb of Elmhurst, Elmhurst College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,955. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the rhetoric & composition program here. Soon after graduation, rhetoric & composition degree recipients from Elmhurst College generally make around $33,556. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Depaul University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in rhetoric & composition, landing the #3 spot this year. Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students from in state pay about $45,405 in tuition and fees. Rhetoric & Composition graduates carry a median of $25,310 in student loans. Early-career rhetoric & composition graduates make about $49,334. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 6 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.
