Top 50 Best Bachelor's Degree Programs in Illinois by ROI

Every Bachelor's Degree program in Illinois ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Illinois

918

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$73,971

Across all Illinois programs

Average Annual Cost

$42,122

Cost of attendance

# College Major 20-Yr Net ROI Median Salary Annual Cost Avg Debt
1 University of Chicago

Grad rate: 95.2%

 Computer Science. +$1,656,016 $142,172 $86,856 N/A Full ROI →
2 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Computer Science. +$1,372,829 $118,452 $32,134 $20,500 Full ROI →
3 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Computer Engineering. +$1,068,709 $103,246 $32,134 $20,500 Full ROI →
4 Northwestern University

Grad rate: 96.2%

 Biomedical/Medical Engineering. +$956,068 $108,516 $87,804 $17,063 Full ROI →
5 Northwestern University

Grad rate: 96.2%

 Computer Science. +$895,214 $105,307 $87,804 $14,600 Full ROI →
6 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Engineering Physics. +$815,400 $90,556 $32,134 $20,136 Full ROI →
7 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Engineering Mechanics. +$812,524 $89,053 $32,134 N/A Full ROI →
8 Governors State University

Grad rate: 20.2%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$782,204 $87,571 $23,076 $27,342 Full ROI →
9 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Chemical Engineering. +$746,896 $87,314 $32,134 $22,850 Full ROI →
10 Rush University Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. +$728,589 $80,831 N/A $35,578 Full ROI →
11 University of Chicago

Grad rate: 95.2%

 Economics. +$715,000 $96,012 $86,856 $13,197 Full ROI →
12 Illinois Institute of Technology

Grad rate: 73.8%

 Computer Science. +$700,312 $92,129 $67,720 $23,250 Full ROI →
13 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Finance and Financial Management Services. +$698,279 $84,657 $32,134 $19,500 Full ROI →
14 Northwestern University

Grad rate: 96.2%

 Industrial Engineering. +$686,162 $95,078 $87,804 $17,912 Full ROI →
15 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Industrial Engineering. +$683,478 $84,108 $32,134 $22,330 Full ROI →
16 Northwestern University

Grad rate: 96.2%

 Computer Engineering. +$679,564 $93,539 $87,804 N/A Full ROI →
17 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. +$679,530 $84,020 $32,134 $23,951 Full ROI →
18 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Nuclear Engineering. +$666,041 $83,170 $32,134 $21,350 Full ROI →
19 Millikin University

Grad rate: 58.5%

 Management Information Systems and Services. +$659,592 $83,239 $41,297 N/A Full ROI →
20 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Management Information Systems and Services. +$635,159 $81,501 $32,134 $19,500 Full ROI →
21 University of Illinois Chicago

Grad rate: 60.9%

 Computer Science. +$634,820 $80,429 $26,998 $19,087 Full ROI →
22 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. +$612,784 $80,524 $32,134 $21,600 Full ROI →
23 Illinois Wesleyan University

Grad rate: 80.9%

 Economics. +$604,964 $85,928 $68,399 N/A Full ROI →
24 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Grad rate: 54.2%

 Computer Science. +$587,756 $77,916 $25,302 $21,745 Full ROI →
25 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Mechanical Engineering. +$587,349 $79,178 $32,134 $20,500 Full ROI →
26 University of Illinois Chicago

Grad rate: 60.9%

 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. +$581,523 $78,062 $26,998 $23,500 Full ROI →
27 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Engineering, General. +$581,144 $77,484 $32,134 N/A Full ROI →
28 Illinois State University

Grad rate: 66.7%

 Computer Science. +$565,313 $78,276 $32,458 $22,500 Full ROI →
29 Rasmussen University-Illinois

Grad rate: 40.0%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$563,808 $77,728 $24,447 $39,232 Full ROI →
30 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Grad rate: 54.2%

 Construction Engineering Technologies. +$558,232 $74,972 $25,302 N/A Full ROI →
31 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Biomedical/Medical Engineering. +$555,756 $77,352 $32,134 $16,850 Full ROI →
32 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Grad rate: 52.5%

 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. +$533,285 $75,851 $29,268 $19,750 Full ROI →
33 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Materials Engineering +$523,957 $75,834 $32,134 $17,916 Full ROI →
34 Illinois State University

Grad rate: 66.7%

 Public Health. +$523,630 $76,175 $32,458 $22,250 Full ROI →
35 Rasmussen University-Illinois

Grad rate: 40.0%

 Computer Systems Analysis. +$512,652 $72,522 $24,447 N/A Full ROI →
36 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Grad rate: 54.2%

 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. +$507,629 $74,137 $25,302 $25,113 Full ROI →
37 Northwestern University

Grad rate: 96.2%

 Economics. +$505,057 $85,909 $87,804 $16,227 Full ROI →
38 Northern Illinois University

Grad rate: 51.3%

 Mechanical Engineering. +$500,754 $74,168 $27,214 $25,000 Full ROI →
39 Northern Illinois University

Grad rate: 51.3%

 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. +$500,414 $74,151 $27,214 $25,000 Full ROI →
40 Northwestern University

Grad rate: 96.2%

 Chemical Engineering. +$489,869 $85,168 $87,804 $16,500 Full ROI →
41 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. +$483,234 $74,006 $32,134 $21,000 Full ROI →
42 Illinois State University

Grad rate: 66.7%

 Management Information Systems and Services. +$480,070 $73,592 $32,458 $16,250 Full ROI →
43 Illinois State University

Grad rate: 66.7%

 Construction Management. +$479,863 $73,936 $32,458 $21,500 Full ROI →
44 Illinois State University

Grad rate: 66.7%

 Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. +$465,608 $71,772 $32,458 N/A Full ROI →
45 Bradley University

Grad rate: 74.0%

 Manufacturing Engineering. +$463,410 $77,539 $52,730 $27,000 Full ROI →
46 Northern Illinois University

Grad rate: 51.3%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$444,114 $71,741 $27,214 $31,000 Full ROI →
47 Illinois Institute of Technology

Grad rate: 73.8%

 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. +$443,275 $79,429 $67,720 $25,500 Full ROI →
48 Bradley University

Grad rate: 74.0%

 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. +$442,930 $76,515 $52,730 $27,000 Full ROI →
49 Chamberlain University-Illinois

Grad rate: 44.4%

 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. +$442,028 $74,013 $36,346 $39,146 Full ROI →
50 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Grad rate: 84.8%

 Business Administration, Management and Operations. +$438,777 $71,660 $32,134 $19,175 Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.