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Cheapest Chemical Engineering Colleges in Illinois

Ranked by lowest net price after financial aid. See our methodology.

Chemical engineering students in Illinois face a dramatic cost divide between public and private options. The University of Illinois Chicago offers the state's most affordable program at $12,313 net cost, while Northwestern reaches $27,143 despite both schools serving the same Chicago metropolitan area. This price gap matters significantly given Illinois' strong chemical manufacturing sector, which employs engineers across pharmaceutical companies like Abbott and industrial giants like Caterpillar that rely on chemical processes for equipment manufacturing.
5
Programs
$12,313 – $27,143
Net Price Range
$69,173
Avg. Program Earnings
81.7%
Avg. Graduation Rate

5 Chemical Engineering Programs

Program rankings
# School Net Price In-State Tuition Graduation Rate Acceptance Rate
1 $12,313 $14,338 60.3% 78.7%
2 $15,201 $16,004 84.9% 44.8%
3 $18,967 $66,939 94.9% 5.4%
4 $19,353 $51,763 72.4% 61.4%
5 $27,143 $65,997 95.9% 7.2%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the $14,830 cost difference between the cheapest and most expensive programs?

Public universities like UIC receive state funding that keeps net costs around $12,313-$15,201, while private institutions like Northwestern and University of Chicago charge $27,143-$18,967 respectively. Private schools often provide more generous financial aid packages, which explains why University of Chicago costs less than Northwestern despite having a lower acceptance rate of 5.43%.

How do graduation rates correlate with program costs in Illinois?

The most expensive programs show the highest completion rates, with Northwestern at 95.90% and University of Chicago at 94.90% graduation rates. However, UIUC delivers strong outcomes at 84.90% graduation rate for just $15,201 net cost, making it an strong value proposition.

Do higher-cost programs translate to better earning potential?

Northwestern graduates earn $79,688 annually, the highest among Illinois programs, justifying its $27,143 cost. However, UIUC graduates earn $74,279 while paying $12,000 less in net costs, suggesting that public research universities can deliver comparable career outcomes at significantly lower prices.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.