2026 Best Value Art History Schools in Illinois
[Art History](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/fine-and-studio-arts/art-history/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for art history students.
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2026 Best Value Art History Schools in Illinois
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the art history degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Art History Schools
For return on investment in art history, no school beat University Of Illinois At Chicago this year. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,949, with out-of-state students paying around $32,009. Art History graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Early-career art history graduates make about $21,954. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Chicago admits about 77% of applicants.
Northern Illinois University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value art history schools. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,060. Typical student debt for art history graduates is $25,781. Soon after graduation, art history degree recipients from Northern Illinois University generally make around $26,795. Set against $25,781 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northern Illinois University admits about 70% of applicants.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value art history schools. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for art history graduates is $21,356. Soon after graduation, art history degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $28,669. Set against $21,356 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in art history will find it at University Of Chicago, which ranked #4. 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. Art History graduates carry a median of $15,854 in student loans. Art History graduates of University Of Chicago earn a median of $81,002 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 4%.
A rank of #5 makes Southern Illinois University Carbondale one of the best values for art history. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public school located in the town of Carbondale. In-state tuition and fees average $13,334. Students borrow a median of $26,500 to complete the art history program here. Art History graduates of Southern Illinois University Carbondale earn a median of $46,566 early in their careers. Set against $26,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Columbia College Chicago ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value art history schools. Columbia College Chicago is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,088. Art History graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Art History graduates of Columbia College Chicago earn a median of $22,765 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Columbia College Chicago admits about 90% of applicants.
Lake Forest College came in at #7 for value in art history this year. Lake Forest College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Lake Forest. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,402. Art History graduates carry a median of $26,661 in student loans. Soon after graduation, art history degree recipients from Lake Forest College generally make around $41,168. That is a strong return on a $26,661 median debt. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
Depaul University earned the #8 position for value in art history this year. Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $45,405. Typical student debt for art history graduates is $26,999. Soon after graduation, art history degree recipients from Depaul University generally make around $55,226. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Loyola University Chicago placed #9 among the best values for art history. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $53,710. Art History graduates carry a median of $23,521 in student loans. Art History graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $58,568 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,521 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago came in at #10 for value in art history this year. Set in the city of Chicago, School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $54,623. Art History graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career art history graduates make about $24,253. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
More Art History Rankings
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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 · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
