2026 Best Value Systems Science & Theory Schools in Illinois
[Systems Science & Theory](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/systems-science-theory/systems-science-and-theory/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong systems science & theory education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value systems science & theory schools.
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2026 Best Value Systems Science & Theory Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the systems science & theory degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Systems Science & Theory Schools
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign tops our 2026 list of the best value systems science & theory schools in Illinois. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $20,600 to complete the systems science & theory program here. Systems Science & Theory graduates of University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn a median of $35,239 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,600 median debt. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Chicago one of the best values for systems science & theory. University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. Students from in state pay about $69,324 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $15,854 to complete the systems science & theory program here. Systems Science & Theory graduates of University Of Chicago earn a median of $81,002 early in their careers. Set against $15,854 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Chicago admits about 4% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 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.
