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Best Value Computer Science Schools in Illinois

2023 Best Value Computer Science Schools in Illinois

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

23 Colleges
$29,754 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$69,849 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Computer Science School for You

Out of the majors we analyze each year, computer science was ranked 6th in Illinois. In fact, 3,680 were awarded in the state in 2020-2021.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Value Computer Science Schools in Illinois to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 23 schools in Illinois to see which programs offered the best value experiences for compsci students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. 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.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

Top 10 Best Computer Science Schools

$17,634 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign the best value school in Illinois for computer science students. Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public school with a very large student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UIUC are $17,634 per year. On average, compsci graduates from UIUC take out $18,500 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $477, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

UIUC not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #3 on our Best Computer Science Schools in Illinois list.

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$11,496 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best computer science schools in Illinois. SIUE is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Edwardsville.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at SIUE are $11,496 a year. On average, compsci graduates from SIUE take out $24,429 in student loans while working on their degree.

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$13,968 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Illinois State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best computer science schools in Illinois. Illinois State is a very large public school located in the midsize suburb of Normal.

Illinois State undergraduate students pay an average of $13,968 in in-state tuition and fees each year. CompSci majors at Illinois State take out an average of $24,194 in student loans while working on their egree.

Illinois State also claimed a spot on our Best Computer Science Schools in Illinois list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category.

Full Computer Science at Illinois State University Report

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$15,603 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at University of Illinois at Chicago helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best computer science schools in Illinois. UIC is a very large public school located in the large city of Chicago.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UIC are $15,603 per year. After completing their degree, compsci graduates from UIC carry an average student debtload of $19,500. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $280, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Computer Science at University of Illinois at Chicago Report

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$12,053 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of Illinois at Springfield is a great value for computer science students. UIS is a small public school located in the midsize city of Springfield.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UIS are $12,053 a year. On average, compsci graduates from UIS take out $27,689 in student loans while working on their degree.

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#6

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, IL
$12,297 Average Tuition & Fees

Eastern Illinois University landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value computer science programs. Located in the distant town of Charleston, EIU is a public school with a moderately-sized student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at EIU are $12,297 a year.

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#7

Governors State University

University Park, IL
$10,108 Average Tuition & Fees

Governors State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in the rural area of University Park, GSU is a public school with a small student population.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at GSU are $10,108 per year. On average, compsci graduates from GSU take out $22,178 in student loans while working on their degree.

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#8

DePaul University

Chicago, IL
$42,012 Average Tuition & Fees

DePaul University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Computer Science Schools in Illinois list. Located in the large city of Chicago, DePaul is a private not-for-profit college with a very large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at DePaul are $42,012 a year.

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$14,738 Average Tuition & Fees

Northern Illinois University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Computer Science Schools in Illinois ranking. NIU is a large public school located in the suburb of Dekalb.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at NIU are $14,738 a year. CompSci majors at NIU take out an average of $23,759 in student loans while working on their egree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $205.

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$12,064 Average Tuition & Fees

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value computer science programs. Northeastern Illinois University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Chicago.

Northeastern Illinois University undergraduate students pay an average of $12,064 in in-state tuition and fees each year. While working on their degree, compsci majors at Northeastern Illinois University accumulate an average of around $15,900 in student debt.

Full Computer Science at Northeastern Illinois University Report

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Best Value Computer Science Colleges in the Great Lakes Region

Explore all the Best Value Computer Science Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Michigan 623
Ohio 1,016
Indiana 1,471
Wisconsin 248

Computer Science is one of 10 different types of programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Computer Information Systems 88,434
Information Technology 40,555
Information Science 18,325
Computer Systems Networking 14,700
Computer Software & Applications 14,336

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 23 schools only.

  • 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Negative Space.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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