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2026 Best Value Textile & Apparel Studies Schools in Illinois

[Textile & Apparel Studies](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/apparel-textile-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong textile & apparel studies education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for textile & apparel studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Textile & Apparel Studies Schools in Illinois

2026 Best Value Textile & Apparel Studies Schools in Illinois

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in textile & apparel studies, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Textile & Apparel Studies Schools

1

Harper College
Palatine, IL

$3,894 In-State Tuition & Fees

$10,963 Avg Student Debt

$48,071 Median Earnings (10yr)

Harper College earned the #1 spot for value among textile & apparel studies schools in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Palatine, Harper College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,894, with out-of-state students paying around $11,874. Students borrow a median of $10,963 to complete the textile & apparel studies program here. Textile & Apparel Studies graduates of Harper College earn a median of $44,523 early in their careers. Set against $10,963 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

2

Illinois State University
Normal, IL

$14,410 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,500 Avg Student Debt

$62,117 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Illinois State University one of the best values for textile & apparel studies. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,410 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Typical student debt for textile & apparel studies graduates is $22,500. Textile & Apparel Studies graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $37,111 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.

View All Textile & Apparel Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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.