2023 Best Value Teaching Master's Degree Schools in Illinois
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
Today's teaching students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools and bootcamps that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Teaching Degree Search has developed this Best Value Teaching Master's Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 28 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best value master's degree programs for teaching students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Top Value Teaching Master's Degree Schools in Illinois
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Concordia University, Chicago the best value school in Illinois for teaching students working on their master’s degree. Concordia University, Chicago is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in River Forest, Illinois that handed out 811 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Concordia University, Chicago are $9,378 per year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Concordia University, Chicago. During the 2019-2020 year, about 98% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Illinois State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. Located in Normal, Illinois, the large public school handed out 125 master’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
Illinois State graduate students pay an average of $11,773 in tuition and fees each year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Illinois State does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 81% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 28 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, Northeastern Illinois University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the medium-sized public school awarded 208 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,375 per year.
One thing to take note of is that Northeastern Illinois University does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In fact, around 99% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Out of the 28 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s value ranking, Eastern Illinois University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 204 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at EIU are $21,407 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since EIU does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 75% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of St Francis. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. University of St Francis is a small private not-for-profit school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 275 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Saint Francis graduate students pay an average of $13,839 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at University of Saint Francis. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 89% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, University of Saint Francis is ranked #3 for overall quality in Illinois.
Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 251 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Olivet Nazarene are $12,190 a year.
Olivet Nazarene does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 97% took at least some of their classes online.
McKendree University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. McKendree is located in Lebanon, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 master’s degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at McKendree are $9,756 per year.
McKendree does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 68% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Northern Illinois University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 328 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at NIU are $11,390 a year.
NIU does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 43% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
North Central College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in Naperville, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 35 master’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
North Central graduate students pay an average of $15,822 in tuition and fees each year.
Online graduate courses are available at North Central, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 70% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
North Central also took the #2 spot in our Best Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois rankings.
Aurora University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. Aurora is a private not-for-profit institution located in Aurora, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 176 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Aurora graduate students pay an average of $14,100 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Aurora. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 87% took at least some of their classes online.
Lewis University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Romeoville, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 139 students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Lewis are $14,960 a year.
One thing to take note of is that Lewis does offer online graduate classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 85% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Lewis excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list.
National Louis University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. NLU is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 789 master’s degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at NLU are $12,096 a year.
One thing to take note of is that NLU does offer online graduate classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 59% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 77 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at SIUE are $9,316 a year.
Online graduate courses are available at SIUE, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 86% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Western Illinois University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. This medium-sized public school is located in Macomb, Illinois, and it awarded 171 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at WIU are $12,182 per year.
WIU does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 71% took at least some of their classes online.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 293 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at UIUC are $30,862 per year.
Online graduate courses are available at UIUC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 90% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
UIUC also made our Best Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list, coming in at #4.
Read full report on University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
With a ranking of #16, Bradley University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for teaching students working on their master’s degree. Bradley is located in Peoria, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 master’s degrees to qualified students.
Bradley graduate students pay an average of $17,400 in tuition and fees each year.
Bradley does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 95% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Bradley is ranked #5 for overall quality in Illinois.
University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #17 on the list. This large public school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 226 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UIC graduate students pay an average of $28,468 in tuition and fees each year.
Online graduate courses are available at UIC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 95% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Rockford University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in Rockford, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 54 master’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
Rockford graduate students pay an average of $13,615 in tuition and fees each year.
North Park University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. North Park is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 95 master’s degrees to qualified students.
North Park graduate students pay an average of $14,184 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at North Park. During the 2019-2020 year, about 92% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Saint Xavier University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois list. SXU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 49 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at SXU are $15,450 per year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at SXU. During the 2019-2020 year, about 63% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Dominican University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in River Forest, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 68 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Dominican U are $20,413 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Dominican U does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 89% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Loyola University Chicago came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Teaching Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 82 master’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Loyola Chicago are $19,894 per year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Loyola Chicago. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 92% took at least some of their classes online.
Chicago State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #23 on the list. CSU is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 master’s degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at CSU are $15,218 per year.
Online graduate courses are available at CSU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 27% took at least some of their classes online.
DePaul University landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value master’s degree teaching programs. DePaul University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 321 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at DePaul are $18,341 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at DePaul. In 2019-2020 about 96% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for teaching students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #25 on the list. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 master’s degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at SIUC are $33,064 per year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at SIUC. In 2019-2020 about 24% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Best Value Teaching Master's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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