2026 Best Value Value Schools in Illinois
[Value](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/security-science-and-technology/cyber-computer-forensics-and-counterterrorism/) 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 1 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
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2026 Best Value Value Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
Eastern Illinois University tops our 2026 list of the best value value schools in Illinois. Eastern Illinois University is a large public school located in the town of Charleston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,377, with out-of-state students paying around $15,859. Typical student debt for value graduates is $24,293. Value graduates of Eastern Illinois University earn a median of $43,603 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 65%.
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 · 1 school 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.
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