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

Every Master'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

402

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$443,924

Across all Illinois programs

Average Annual Cost

$44,781

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies.	+$3,409,232	$221,242	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
2	University of Chicago Grad rate: 95.2%	Law.	+$3,371,548	$219,263	$86,856	N/A	Full ROI →
3	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Business/Commerce, General.	+$3,307,912	$216,176	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
4	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Grad rate: 84.8%	Computer Science.	+$3,202,592	$205,343	$32,134	N/A	Full ROI →
5	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$3,180,720	$201,036	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
6	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Law.	+$3,110,152	$206,288	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
7	University of Illinois Chicago Grad rate: 60.9%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,983,624	$193,881	$26,998	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,883,612	$194,961	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
9	Loyola University Chicago Grad rate: 73.9%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	+$2,630,826	$179,958	$64,167	N/A	Full ROI →
10	University of Chicago Grad rate: 95.2%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,555,988	$178,485	$86,856	N/A	Full ROI →
11	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Engineering-Related Fields.	+$2,170,472	$159,304	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
12	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Engineering, Other.	+$2,075,512	$154,556	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
13	Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Grad rate: 54.2%	Dentistry.	+$1,737,736	$131,417	$25,302	N/A	Full ROI →
14	Lake Forest Graduate School of Management	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$1,677,980	$125,899	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
15	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Medical Illustration and Informatics.	+$1,630,892	$132,325	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
16	Chicago State University Grad rate: 21.1%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,626,612	$126,376	$30,454	N/A	Full ROI →
17	University of Chicago Grad rate: 95.2%	Statistics.	+$1,617,268	$131,549	$86,856	N/A	Full ROI →
18	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.	+$1,586,872	$130,124	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
19	University of Illinois Chicago Grad rate: 60.9%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,586,684	$124,034	$26,998	N/A	Full ROI →
20	Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Grad rate: 54.2%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,567,356	$122,898	$25,302	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Community Organization and Advocacy.	+$1,545,312	$128,046	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
22	Midwestern University-Downers Grove	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,514,660	$117,733	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
23	Illinois Institute of Technology Grad rate: 73.8%	Design and Applied Arts.	+$1,469,180	$122,231	$67,720	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,416,700	$112,835	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
25	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Grad rate: 84.8%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$1,398,892	$115,158	$32,134	N/A	Full ROI →
26	Bradley University Grad rate: 74.0%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$1,326,400	$113,593	$52,730	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Rush University	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,322,100	$108,105	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies.	+$1,302,612	$115,911	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Grad rate: 54.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,287,216	$108,891	$25,302	N/A	Full ROI →
30	University of St Francis Grad rate: 64.8%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,282,990	$110,687	$45,375	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,278,120	$105,906	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Grad rate: 52.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,273,344	$108,594	$29,268	N/A	Full ROI →
33	University of Illinois Chicago Grad rate: 60.9%	Dentistry.	+$1,266,984	$108,049	$26,998	N/A	Full ROI →
34	University of St Francis Grad rate: 64.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,253,170	$109,196	$45,375	N/A	Full ROI →
35	Illinois College of Optometry	Optometry.	+$1,248,000	$104,400	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
36	DePaul University Grad rate: 69.7%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$1,240,026	$109,948	$59,467	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication.	+$1,235,492	$112,555	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Information Science/Studies.	+$1,214,772	$111,519	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
39	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,210,632	$111,312	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
40	Northwestern University Grad rate: 96.2%	Science Technologies/Technicians, Other.	+$1,210,452	$111,303	$87,804	N/A	Full ROI →
41	DePaul University Grad rate: 69.7%	Taxation.	+$1,167,886	$106,341	$59,467	N/A	Full ROI →
42	Illinois State University Grad rate: 66.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,144,784	$102,485	$32,458	N/A	Full ROI →
43	DePaul University Grad rate: 69.7%	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$1,144,346	$105,164	$59,467	N/A	Full ROI →
44	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$1,138,120	$98,906	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
45	Loyola University Chicago Grad rate: 73.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,135,146	$105,174	$64,167	N/A	Full ROI →
46	Loyola University Chicago Grad rate: 73.9%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$1,130,166	$104,925	$64,167	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Saint Anthony College of Nursing	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,126,100	$98,305	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
48	North Park University Grad rate: 55.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,119,840	$102,196	$42,040	N/A	Full ROI →
49	McKendree University Grad rate: 57.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,115,638	$102,494	$47,121	N/A	Full ROI →
50	University of Illinois Chicago Grad rate: 60.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,114,784	$100,439	$26,998	N/A	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.