2026 Best Value Value Schools in Illinois
[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/geography-and-environmental-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for value students.
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2026 Best Value Value Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in value, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Value Schools
Our analysis ranked Southern Illinois University Edwardsville the best value for a degree in value in Illinois. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,092. Value graduates carry a median of $23,917 in student loans. Value graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median of $54,302 early in their careers. Set against $23,917 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
