Top Value Colleges in Illinois
Top Value Illinois Colleges
Below you will find a list of the top value colleges in Illinois that we found to provide the highest academic and career-based value for students. In our study, we utilized a number of data sources from the US Census Bureau to the US Department of Education coupled with student and alumni feedback to ascertain the important elements of value in a college education. Our team collected college data and arrived at the top value Illinois colleges for you to research further. Remember to use your best judgment and prioritize your academic goals and career aspirations to narrow down your list of top colleges.
List of Top Value Illinois Colleges
The University of Chicago was established in the year 1890 and it is located at Chicago, Illinois, United States. University of Chicago strongly believes that a commitment to rigorous academics for all sorts of people including opportunities for all departments of higher education to persons of both sexes on equal terms would build an enduring legacy. They have one undergraduate college and five graduate research divisions; these host all of the university’s graduate programs as well as interdisciplinary committees. They also have eight professional schools and additional campuses and centers in Paris, Hong Kong, London, Beijing, and Delhi. The scholars of the University of Chicago played a major role in the development of many disciplines, such as law, mathematics, sociology, economics, literature, and criticism. They also take much pride in their Metallurgical Laboratory where the first man-made self-sustaining nuclear reaction in Chicago Pile-1 was produced.
Carolinas College of Health Sciences was established in 1990 and is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Through their partnership with Atrium Health, their students are privileged to get a clinical education at one of the nation’s most innovative healthcare organizations. They aim to discover their student’s true potential not only inside the classroom but throughout their career. They guarantee to provide high academic standards, one-on-one faculty attention and the kind of modern education that is needed for an evolving healthcare environment. In addition to that, Carolinas College of Health Sciences also provides supportive small-school fees. The education for high-demand careers like nursing, lab sciences and more are offered here.
Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois and was founded in the year 1851. Since then, they have always been committed to excellent teaching and innovative research. Northwestern put much interest in their student’s personal and intellectual growth in a diverse community. They have 3 campuses, 12 schools and colleges, at least 21,000 students enrolled, 3,334 full-time faculty members, 19 intercollegiate athletic teams and 500 or more student organizations and clubs. They have proven to be a comprehensive research university which is deeply interdisciplinary across multiple schools and units. They make sure to provide a robust mixture of theory and practice.
Lake Forest College was first founded as Lind University in 1857, it was not until 1865 when they were called Lake Forest University. They started to be coeducational in 1876 and an undergraduate-focused liberal arts institution in 1903. This college is located in Lake Forest Illinois and aims to provide access to an outstanding education that will give the students a big edge on jobs after graduation. They support double-majors and minors by offering a flexible curriculum. They offer unparalleled internships in Chicago, championship athletics, lab research experience, and study-abroad opportunities. Lake Forest College claims to have the best location, since they are just an hour from Chicago, they say that their students can have the best of both worlds.
University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign is a public land-grant research university located in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana and was established in 1867. Since then, the University earned a reputation as a world-class leader in teaching, research, and public engagement. They are devoted in enhancing the lives of citizens in Illinois through leadership in discovery, engagement, learning and economic development. University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign invented the first graphical web. They ranked #14 public University. The vision of this university is this – to be the pre-eminent public research university with a land-grant mission and global impact.
Augustana College is located along the beautiful Mississippi river in Rock Island, Illinois and was established in 1860 by Swedish settlers. They offer 90 majors and areas of study as well as 25 varsity athletic teams. The freshmen and sophomore students live in residence halls while juniors may choose transitional living areas and seniors live on campus or in the neighborhood. Some of the activities that students may participate in are in music groups, debate, broadcasting, local Greek system and a wide variety of professional, departmental, social, religious, and service organizations. They let their students live where they learn and let the things that they love to do really infuse their lives not only on campus but also after graduation. Students here excel equally in academics and in sport.
Illinois Wesleyan University was established in 1850 and is located in Bloomington, Illinois. They ranked #7 in the nation but #1 in Illinois for placing their graduates in successful careers or grad school. They are also very proud to be the #1 small school with the highest earning graduates in the state. They achieved all of these through giving primary focus in opening their student’s minds and facilitating breakthrough moments and preparing them for a rewarding career in diverse fields all at the same time. Because of that 91% of their students return after 1st year and 92% of their graduates have completed their degree in 4 years. Moreover, half of the student’s tuition on average is covered by scholarships and grants.
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North Central College was founded in 1861 and was originally named as Plainfield College, in 1864, they changed the name to North-Western College but in 1926, the name was again changed so now it is called North Central College. The only thing that doesn’t change is their eagerness to help students exceed their personal best. More than 60 majors and more than 60 minors are available in North central College. In addition to that, they also offer 12 graduate degree programs, and four certificate programs. All of these were provided to help students have the best chance to find what fits for them. They aim to play a vital role in their student’s journey for success.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago was established in the year 1866 and is located in downtown Chicago, Illinois. For more than 150 years, they have been a leader in educating the world’s most influential designers, artists, and scholars. According to U.S. News and World Report, SAIC’s fine arts graduate program ranked number two in the nation. They may have achieved this because of their interdisciplinary approach to art and design and through their world-class resources. Students in their undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate programs are free to take risks and build bold ideas that can transform Chicago and the world. SAIC is also known to have notable alumni and faculty.
University of St Francis’ main campus is located in Joliet, Illinois and was founded in 1920. Since then, they have been a welcoming community of learners. There are nearly 4.000 students of different ages and backgrounds that study on campus or online at the University of St Francis. Since their students come from all kinds of places, a rich and stimulating learning environment was formed. The programs they offer include bachelor’s degree, Master’s Degree, Doctoral Degree, Adult Undergraduate, Undergraduate 7 Graduate Certificates. University of St Francis’s high-quality education was verified when they were nationally ranked.
Illinois Institute of Technology was founded in 1890 and is located in Chicago, Illinois. They are the only tech University in Chicago and stands at the crossroads of exploration and innovation with an aim of advancing Chicago and the World. In each day, inside the living lab of the city, Illinois Tech fuels breakthroughs which changes lives. Their undergraduate education’s foundation is formed by one-of-a-kind learning programs that allows students to learn by doing, which is an effective way of preparing them to innovate and lead. They promote research that matters by conducting transformative research that their students can really see and feel. Illinois Institute of technology was ranked #1 in the Chicago Region for Occupational Earnings Power, #39 Best Value University and was included in the top 25 STEM Colleges of 2018.
North Park University is a private Christian university founded in 1891 and is located in Chicago, Illinois. They are a small, focused, excellent, and tight-knit university which is a wonderful place to learn and grow. They offer 40+ undergraduate programs, with pre-professional degrees, sciences, business, liberal arts and more. The graduate programs available here are flexible and affordable, designed to advance their student’s careers and academic interests. In addition to that, they also have seminary programs and online programs. North Park University’s goal is to help their students prepare for a life of significance and service.
Lincoln Tech – Melrose Park (Chicago Area) was originally founded in 1902 as Greer College of Automotive Engineering, but in 1869, they officially joined the Lincoln family. Located at the suburb of Melrose Park and had been one of the important parts of the Chicago community for more than 100 years. Nearly, an average of 4 out of 5 of their graduates get jobs in their fields upon completing their training at Melrose Park campus. They are very proud of their long list of life-changing stories of their many successful alumni. The programs and partnerships they offer are, Automotive Technology, Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology, Electrical and Electronic Systems Technology, Medical Assistant, and Welding Technology. Lincoln Tech – Melrose Park is the best place to pursue hands-on career paths into the fields that combine for more than 100,000 jobs that will be added at Illinois by 2026.
Judson University is an evangelical Christian university founded in 1913. This represents the Church at work in higher education and is located in Elgin, Illinois. The promise of Judson University is this: if you choose the education at Judson, you are choosing the kind of education that puts you first. They maintain a small student-to-teacher ratio to ensure individualized attention from a caring and experienced faculty. They provide incredible facilities where abundant opportunities to conduct research and fulfill internships happens. Students will have the chance to fully explore the many avenues of their desired path while they create friendships and experiences that will last a lifetime.
Olivet Nazarene University is nestled in the Village of Bourbonnais, Illinois and was originally established as a grammar school in 1907. It was not until 1986 when they were finally called the Olivet Nazarene University. The setting of their campus includes park-like landscaping that surrounds historic and state-of-the-art facilities. They claim that even if they are large enough to offer a world-class education, their students still feel that this University is small enough that they know their fellow schoolmates. With more than 140 areas, they guarantee potential applicants that whatever their interest is, they’ll surely find here a degree that matches. Though numbers don’t say everything, their 3500 students enrolled says a lot about this close-knit community.
Loyola University Chicago was founded in 1870 and is one of the largest Catholic Universities in the United States. They are located downtown at the heart of Chicago and are partnering with Trinity Health in Maywood and the suburbs. The degree programs that they offer are nationally ranked. In 2018, they had a total number of 17,007 enrolled but maintained to have 14:1 faculty/student ratio. 93% of Loyola University Chicago’s faculty holds the highest degree in their field and more than 30% of their students study abroad. In addition to that, 98% of their graduates successfully found a job or are in Grad School three months after graduation.
Bradley University is a top-ranked private university located in Peoria Illinois and was founded in 1897. Made up of 5 colleges, where faculty and students teach, study, and learn in and across more than 185 programs which are known to be the best. Bradley University offers nearly 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students the opportunities and resources of a larger university. They have more than 185 undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, fine arts, liberal arts and sciences, communications, engineering, health sciences, and technology. They conduct 12:1 student to faculty ratio which results to personalized attention and exceptional learning experiences, plus, 100% of classes are taught by the faculty. Bradley University empowers their students for the immediate and sustained success both in their personal and professional endeavors.
DePaul University was founded by the Vincentians in 1898 and is located in Chicago, Illinois. DePaul University have a commitment to Anti-Discrimination, they even encourage individuals in their university to report if ever they have been subjected to discrimination, retaliation or harassment. They currently offer 130+ undergraduate majors, 175+ graduate programs, and 10 Colleges & Schools. DePaul is the largest private university whose faculty members’ priority is to teach. As the nation’s largest Catholic university, they devotedly promote educational experience that weaves together mind, heart, place, and people. That may be the reason why DePaul is nationally respected and known to be personally focused.
Knox College is a private liberal arts college located in Galesburg, Illinois and was founded in 1837. Knox College does the hard and sometimes bewildering daily work of making sense of the big picture and at the same time a community that puts the big picture together. They are busy doing research, making connections, and breaking down boundaries in order to build a better future. They offer 60+ courses of study, 42 majors, 51 minors, as well as pre-professional and cooperative programs. At Knox it feels busy but not chaotic, though productive, they are not exclusively goal-oriented, philosophical but not pretentious, and are known friendly but not shallow. Students who come here discover something new about themselves and about the world.
Wheaton College is an evangelical fully residential liberal arts college and a grad school located in Wheaton, Illinois and was founded by evangelical abolitionists in 1860. The original mission of Wheaton College is to provide excellence in Christian higher education. They are currently offering 43 undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and sciences, including six in the conservatory of music and 18 graduate degrees in various fields of study. Wheaton College has 90+ countries represented in the student body. To ensure individualized attention, they maintained 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Wheaton College is also one of the 18 Private ‘Best Buy’ Colleges and Universities.
Additional College Research
For additional information about MatchCollege, visit our world-class college search tools or locate the top degree programs available online. In addition, you may find it useful to start with our award-winning list of college and degree rankings for this academic year. Be your own advocate and invest the time needed today to find the best college program for you.
