2023 Best Social Sciences Schools in Illinois
Finding the Best Social Sciences School for You
Out of the majors we analyze each year, social sciences was ranked 9th in Illinois. In fact, 5,866 were awarded in the state in 2020-2021.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Social Sciences Schools in Illinois ranking. This report analyzed 24 schools in Illinois to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Social Sciences Schools in Illinois
Check out the social sciences programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.
Top 10 Best Social Sciences Schools
Our 2023 rankings named Northwestern University the best school in Illinois for social sciences students. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Evanston.
While working on their degree, social sciences majors at Northwestern accumulate an average of around $15,919 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $456.
Request Information
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means University of Chicago is a great place for social sciences students. Located in the city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, social sciences graduates from UChicago carry an average student debtload of $14,944. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $708.
Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Chicago
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wheaton College Illinois. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Social Sciences Schools in Illinois list. Located in the suburb of Wheaton, Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that social sciences majors at Wheaton College Illinois take out is $24,472.
Request Information
Out of the 24 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the # 4 spot on the list. UIUC is a very large public school located in the small city of Champaign.
On average, social sciences graduates from UIUC take out $20,188 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $337, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request Information
Out of the 24 schools in Illinois that were part of this year’s ranking, Lake Forest College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Lake Forest is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Lake Forest.
On average, social sciences graduates from Lake Forest take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Lake Forest College
Request Information
Dominican University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Social Sciences Schools in Illinois ranking. Dominican U is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of River Forest.
On average, social sciences graduates from Dominican U take out $27,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
Full Social Sciences at Dominican University Report
Request Information
With a ranking of #7, Illinois State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for social sciences students. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State is a public school with a very large student population.
On average, social sciences graduates from Illinois State take out $23,378 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $271.
Request Information
Elmhurst University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for social sciences students. It came in at #8 on the list. Elmhurst is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Elmhurst.
Social Sciences majors at Elmhurst take out an average of $27,000 in student loans while working on their egree.
Request Information
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Social Sciences Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in the city of Carbondale, SIUC is a public school with a fairly large student population.
While working on their degree, social sciences majors at SIUC accumulate an average of around $24,349 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $161, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Request Information
Augustana College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Social Sciences Schools in Illinois ranking. Located in the small city of Rock Island, Augustana is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that social sciences majors at Augustana take out is $26,999.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Augustana College
Request InformationBest Social Sciences Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
Explore all the Best Social Sciences Colleges in the Great Lakes Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Indiana | 2,941 |
| Michigan | 4,213 |
| Ohio | 4,915 |
| Wisconsin | 3,504 |
More Social Sciences Rankings in Illinois
Social Sciences Related Rankings by Major
Social Sciences Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Political Science & Government | 49,282 |
| Economics | 49,055 |
| Sociology | 38,475 |
| General Social Sciences | 18,997 |
| International Relations & National Security | 14,306 |
| Anthropology | 11,415 |
| Criminology | 11,039 |
| Geography & Cartography | 8,526 |
| Other Social Sciences | 2,414 |
| Urban Studies | 1,507 |
| Sociology & Anthropology | 541 |
| Archeology | 339 |
| Demography & Population Studies | 88 |
Most Popular Majors Related to Social Sciences
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Education | 327,871 |
| Psychology | 195,678 |
| Communication & Journalism | 120,571 |
| Family, Consumer & Human Sciences | 55,820 |
| History | 32,731 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 24 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 AndrГ© KГјnzelmann.
More about our data sources and methodologies.