Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Illinois
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Illinois19 schools
19 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in Illinois.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 1.4 years
- Earnings $91,885 ten years out
- 2
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL · PublicHonor Roll#3 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 1.8 years
- Earnings $81,054 ten years out
- 3Tie
Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- Pays back in about 2.2 years
- Earnings $82,592 ten years out
- 3Tie
University of Illinois Chicago
Chicago, IL · PublicTop 16% for earnings
- Pays back in about 2.2 years
- Earnings $68,740 ten years out
- 5
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Pays back in about 2.8 years
- Earnings $89,363 ten years out
- 6
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.3 years
- Earnings $63,926 ten years out
- 7
Lewis University
Romeoville, IL · Private nonprofitTop 18% for earnings
- Pays back in about 3.8 years
- Earnings $66,099 ten years out
- 8
Bradley University
Peoria, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for graduation
- Pays back in about 4.9 years
- Earnings $66,852 ten years out
- 9
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, IL · Private nonprofit#7 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 5.0 years
- Earnings $70,871 ten years out
- 10
DePaul University
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- Pays back in about 6.1 years
- Earnings $68,751 ten years out
- 11Tie
Augustana College
Rock Island, IL · Private nonprofit#10 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 6.2 years
- Earnings $62,971 ten years out
- 11Tie
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitTop 13% for earnings
- Pays back in about 6.2 years
- Earnings $71,530 ten years out
- 13
Wheaton College
Wheaton, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#4 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 7.0 years
- Earnings $63,756 ten years out
- 14
North Central College
Naperville, IL · Private nonprofit#18 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 7.2 years
- Earnings $60,123 ten years out
- 15
Elmhurst University
Elmhurst, IL · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- Pays back in about 7.4 years
- Earnings $61,462 ten years out
- 16
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL · Private nonprofit#5 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 8.5 years
- Earnings $61,825 ten years out
- 17
Trinity Christian College
Palos Heights, IL · Private nonprofit#21 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 10.4 years
- Earnings $55,700 ten years out
- 18
Knox College
Galesburg, IL · Private nonprofit#8 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 15.2 years
- Earnings $54,820 ten years out
- 19
Monmouth College
Monmouth, IL · Private nonprofit#22 in Illinois
- Pays back in about 24.9 years
- Earnings $51,110 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | $14,860 | $15,000 | $91,885 | 96% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $14,355 | $19,500 | $81,054 | 85% |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | $18,425 | $25,000 | $82,592 | 75% |
| University of Illinois Chicago | $10,974 | $16,704 | $68,740 | 62% |
| Northwestern University | $29,167 | $15,000 | $89,363 | 95% |
| University of St. Francis | $13,006 | $21,079 | $63,926 | 67% |
| Lewis University | $17,028 | $21,500 | $66,099 | 67% |
| Bradley University | $22,719 | $27,000 | $66,852 | 76% |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | $28,199 | $27,000 | $70,871 | 75% |
| DePaul University | $30,902 | $23,168 | $68,751 | 68% |
| Augustana College | $22,736 | $27,000 | $62,971 | 73% |
| Loyola University Chicago | $36,079 | $24,157 | $71,530 | 73% |
| Wheaton College | $26,975 | $23,250 | $63,756 | 85% |
| North Central College | $21,044 | $24,500 | $60,123 | 64% |
| Elmhurst University | $24,185 | $20,489 | $61,462 | 70% |
| Lake Forest College | $28,673 | $26,158 | $61,825 | 78% |
| Trinity Christian College | $19,125 | $25,009 | $55,700 | 58% |
| Knox College | $24,595 | $27,000 | $54,820 | 68% |
| Monmouth College | $17,133 | $27,000 | $51,110 | 65% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13