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2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Illinois

[General Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/general-social-sciences/social-sciences-general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general social sciences schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Illinois

2026 Best Value General Social Sciences Schools in Illinois

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general social sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value General Social Sciences Schools

1

University Of Chicago
Chicago, IL

$69,324 In-State Tuition & Fees

$15,854 Avg Student Debt

$91,885 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is University Of Chicago, our #1 best value for general social sciences in Illinois. 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. General Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $15,854 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general social sciences degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $53,788. Set against $15,854 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.

2

North Central College
Naperville, IL

$45,726 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,699 Avg Student Debt

$60,123 Median Earnings (10yr)

North Central College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general social sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Naperville, North Central College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $45,726 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general social sciences graduates is $25,699. Early-career general social sciences graduates make about $46,247. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. North Central College admits about 77% of applicants.

View All General Social Sciences Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.