2026 Best Value Linguistics Schools in Illinois
[Linguistics](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/linguistics-comparative-literature/linguistics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. 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 linguistics students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Linguistics Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the linguistics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Linguistics Schools
For return on investment in linguistics, no school beat University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for linguistics graduates is $19,500. Soon after graduation, linguistics degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $25,921. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Southern Illinois University Carbondale one of the best values for linguistics. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,334. Typical student debt for linguistics graduates is $24,500. Linguistics graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $25,921 early in their careers. Set against $24,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
University Of Chicago is a great value for students pursuing a degree in linguistics, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $69,324. Linguistics graduates carry a median of $15,854 in student loans. Linguistics graduates of University Of Chicago earn a median of $81,002 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Chicago admits about 4% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Benedictine University earned it the #4 place for linguistics. Located in the suburb of Lisle, Benedictine University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $32,648. Typical student debt for linguistics graduates is $25,338. Soon after graduation, linguistics degree recipients from Benedictine University generally make around $54,212. Set against $25,338 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Benedictine University admits about 95% of applicants.
More Linguistics Rankings
View All Linguistics Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 7 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.
