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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Social Sciences Master's Degree Schools in Illinois

10 Colleges in Illinois
1,380 Master's Degrees
$57,929 Avg Early-Career Salary
Social Sciences is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #9 most popular master's degree program in the country. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.

College Factual reviewed 10 schools in Illinois to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of social sciences. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,380 master's degrees in social sciences during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

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Choosing a Great Social Sciences School for Your Master's Degree

Best Social Sciences Master's Degree Schools in Illinois The social sciences master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality social sciences program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:

Overall Quality Is a Must

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Early-Career Salaries

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for social sciences students working on their master's degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Social Sciences Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The social sciences school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Social Sciences Master's Degree Schools in Illinois.

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Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Social Sciences in Illinois

Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for social sciences students seeking a a master's degree.

10 Top Illinois Schools for a Master's in Social Sciences

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
92 Annual Graduates

Northwestern University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in social sciences. Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston.More information about a master’s in social sciences from Northwestern University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
883 Annual Graduates

It is hard to beat University of Chicago if you wish to pursue a master's degree in social sciences. Located in the large city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in social sciences from University of Chicago

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
112 Annual Graduates

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in social sciences. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in social sciences from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
31 Annual Graduates

It's hard to beat Loyola University Chicago if you want to pursue a master's degree in social sciences. Located in the large city of Chicago, Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in social sciences from Loyola University Chicago

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
22 Annual Graduates

UIC is a very large public university located in the large city of Chicago.More information about a master’s in social sciences from University of Illinois at Chicago

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6
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, IL
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
35 Annual Graduates

Located in the large city of Chicago, DePaul is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in social sciences from DePaul University

7
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
33 Annual Graduates

Located in the midsize suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in social sciences from Illinois State University

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
18 Annual Graduates

EIU is a moderately-sized public university located in the remote town of Charleston.More information about a master’s in social sciences from Eastern Illinois University

9
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
33 Annual Graduates

Located in the city of Springfield, UIS is a public university with a small student population.More information about a master’s in social sciences from University of Illinois at Springfield

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
36 Annual Graduates

WIU is a moderately-sized public university located in the town of Macomb.More information about a master’s in social sciences from Western Illinois University

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Best Social Sciences Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Indiana 33 189
Ohio 32 455
Michigan 31 312
Wisconsin 31 407
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View All Rankings >

Social Sciences Majors to Study

Major Annual Graduates
General Social Sciences 706
Economics 315
Political Science & Government 113
International Relations & National Security 97
Sociology 66
Geography & Cartography 39
Anthropology 27
Other Social Sciences 9
Urban Studies 2
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Related Major Annual Graduates
Theology & Religious Vocations 754
Communication & Journalism 725
English Language & Literature 263
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities 154
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences 143
Foreign Languages & Linguistics 138
History 108
Philosophy & Religious Studies 96
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies 70

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Notes and References

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