Best History Degrees in Illinois by ROI
Colleges in Illinois ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in Illinois
16
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$228,558
Across Illinois programs
Average Annual Cost
$42,798
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
University of Chicago
Grad rate: 95.2% |
+$115,536 | $65,148 | $86,856 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Loyola University Chicago
Grad rate: 73.9% |
+$42,372 | $58,572 | $64,167 | $24,000 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Illinois State University
Grad rate: 66.7% |
-$168,410 | $41,632 | $32,458 | $23,125 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Northern Illinois University
Grad rate: 51.3% |
-$177,051 | $40,109 | $27,214 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Grad rate: 84.8% |
-$211,946 | $39,112 | $32,134 | $19,000 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Eastern Illinois University
Grad rate: 50.2% |
-$217,801 | $37,794 | $26,164 | $21,500 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Northwestern University
Grad rate: 96.2% |
-$270,063 | $47,132 | $87,804 | $15,917 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Western Illinois University
Grad rate: 46.2% |
-$270,659 | $36,142 | $27,828 | $31,250 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Northeastern Illinois University
Grad rate: 17.7% |
-$274,539 | $35,009 | $27,208 | $19,176 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Grad rate: 54.2% |
-$284,233 | $34,300 | $25,302 | $21,500 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
University of Illinois Springfield
Grad rate: 57.2% |
-$292,026 | $33,740 | $23,643 | $23,892 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
University of Illinois Chicago
Grad rate: 60.9% |
-$301,457 | $33,643 | $26,998 | $19,500 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Bradley University
Grad rate: 74.0% |
-$301,920 | $37,450 | $52,730 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
DePaul University
Grad rate: 69.7% |
-$326,318 | $39,400 | $59,467 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Grad rate: 52.5% |
-$331,726 | $33,018 | $29,268 | $25,937 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best History Degrees by State
Browse History programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.