2026 Best Value Dietetics/Dietitian Schools in Illinois
[Dietetics/Dietitian](/majors/health-care-professions/dietetics-clinical-nutrition-services/dietetics-dietitian/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong dietetics/dietitian education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value dietetics/dietitian schools.
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2026 Best Value Dietetics/Dietitian Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in dietetics/dietitian, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Dietetics/Dietitian Schools
For return on investment in dietetics/dietitian, 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. Students from in state pay about $15,949 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $32,009. Students borrow a median of $20,115 to complete the dietetics/dietitian program here. Early-career dietetics/dietitian graduates make about $45,147. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Illinois At Chicago admits about 77% of applicants.
Northern Illinois University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in dietetics/dietitian, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,060. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the dietetics/dietitian program here. Dietetics/dietitian graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median of $44,871 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 70%.
A rank of #3 makes Eastern Illinois University one of the best values for dietetics/dietitian. Set in the town of Charleston, Eastern Illinois University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,377, while out-of-state students pay about $15,859. Dietetics/dietitian graduates carry a median of $24,293 in student loans. Dietetics/dietitian graduates of Eastern Illinois University earn a median of $54,476 early in their careers. Set against $24,293 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Eastern Illinois University admits about 65% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Illinois State University one of the best values for dietetics/dietitian. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,410, with out-of-state students paying around $26,058. Dietetics/dietitian graduates carry a median of $18,892 in student loans. Soon after graduation, dietetics/dietitian degree recipients from Illinois State University generally make around $38,444. That is a strong return on a $18,892 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
