Do Illinois' public colleges pay off for students? - GREG HINZ, Crain's Chicago Business

What Third Way did is crunch federal data on things such as tuition, six-year graduation rates, average cost after aid and the percentage of students getting federal Pell Grants to give a composite score to each of the 535 four-year institutes of higher education it examined. Ranked highest, 22nd of 535 schools, is U of I. The average cost—after grants—is a relatively modest $9,801 a year, but the school sports an 84 percent 6-year completion rate. And 77 percent of grads earn at least $25,000 a year six years after enrollment. At 45th, is U I C. Not too far behind are Illinois State and U of I at Springfield, ranked 66th and 115th, respectively. Above the national average are Western, Northern and Eastern Illinois universities, plus Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. They rank 215th to 229th. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160815/BLOGS02/160819923/do-illinois-public-colleges-pay-off-for-students