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Key Takeaways
Best ux design degree programs: DePaul, Columbia College Chicago, Elmhurst
Ranked by graduation rates, program outcomes, and institutional quality
Tuition ranges from $7,139 to $64,887/year
Lake Land College offers the most affordable option at $7,139/yr
UX Design degree programs available: 14 associate's, 3 master's in Illinois
From community college pathways to advanced research degrees
11 online ux design degree programs in Illinois
Flexible scheduling for working professionals
Illinois community college transfer can save 40-60% on total degree costs
14 associate's programs provide transfer pathways to bachelor's degrees
Education Commission of the States
Major employers: Salesforce, Google, Groupon, Grubhub
Tech hubs in Chicago and Naperville
Hakia Research 2026
UX Design degree programs near 113+ cities across Illinois
Search by city to find programs within 200 miles of your location
Updated July 13, 2026
How we ranked Illinois UX Design programs
We rank 29 accredited ux design programs in Illinois using IPEDS 2024 institutional data, BLS OEWS 2024 state salary data, and College Scorecard outcomes. A 4-factor weighted composite is normalized to a 0–100 score. Schools cannot pay for placement; rankings are produced algorithmically.
Are UX Design Degree Programs in Illinois Worth It?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024
UX Design Degree Rankings in Illinois
Compare the top-ranked UX Design programs in Illinois by degree level. Tuition, graduation rate, and Hakia Score for every accredited program.
Best Associate's UX Design Programs in Illinois
Program Landscape
Illinois offers 14 accredited associate's degree programs in ux design, providing an affordable entry point into the technology field. The top-ranked programs include College of DuPage, College of Lake County, Joliet Junior College, which combine rigorous technical curriculum with practical skills training.
Costs & Value
Community colleges in Illinois offer these two-year programs at an average cost of $9,881/yr, significantly less than four-year university tuition. Students completing associate's degrees can pursue entry-level technical positions and transfer opportunities, with entry-level salaries averaging $62,260 in Illinois.
Career Pathways
Many programs feature guaranteed transfer agreements with Illinois's public universities, allowing students to complete their first two years at reduced cost before transferring to complete a bachelor's degree. The Chicago, Naperville, Champaign areas offer particularly strong job markets for associate's degree holders, with employers like Salesforce, Google, Groupon hiring for technical support, junior development, and IT specialist positions.
Curriculum & Specializations
Programs typically include coursework in programming fundamentals, database management, networking basics, and software development. Among ux design schools in Illinois, these associate's programs offer the best value for students beginning their ux design degrees in Illinois.
Show all 14 ranked programs
| Rank | School | Location | Type | Tuition | Grad Rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey, IL | Public | $9,000 | — | 38.5 |
| #7 | Illinois Central College | East Peoria, IL | Public | $9,348 | — | 45.3 |
| #8 | William Rainey Harper College | Palatine, IL | Public | $9,420 | — | 45.3 |
| #9 | Black Hawk College | Moline, IL | Public | $7,950 | — | 43.9 |
| #10 | Kankakee Community College | Kankakee, IL | Public | $12,750 | — | 38.5 |
| #11 | Frontier Community College | Fairfield, IL | Public | $9,180 | — | 37.4 |
| #12 | McHenry County College | Crystal Lake, IL | Public | $10,012 | — | 43.9 |
| #13 | Triton College | River Grove, IL | Public | $11,310 | — | 43.9 |
| #14 | Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove, IL | Public | $11,177 | — | 35.9 |
Best Bachelor's UX Design Programs in Illinois
Program Landscape
Illinois ranks among the nation's top destinations for ux design education, with 12 accredited bachelor's degree programs across 1 public and 10 private institutions. The highest-ranked programs are DePaul, Columbia College Chicago, Elmhurst, recognized for academic excellence, research opportunities, and strong industry connections.
Career Outcomes
Graduates from Illinois ux design programs earn a median salary of $96,220, 2% below the national average. The state's robust technology sector, anchored by the Chicago, Naperville, Champaign metropolitan areas, provides abundant internship and employment opportunities with companies including Salesforce, Google, Groupon.
Costs & Value
Tuition ranges from $12,656 to $50,270 annually, with an average of $31,128/yr. Top programs maintain graduation rates above 80%, with the highest reaching 99%. Many programs hold ABET accreditation, the gold standard for computing education, ensuring curriculum meets rigorous industry standards.
Curriculum & Specializations
Students can choose from specializations including software engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data science, and systems architecture. Strong industry partnerships provide access to co-op programs, capstone projects with real companies, and direct recruiting pipelines to Illinois's leading technology employers. For students seeking ux design degrees in Illinois, these top-ranked ux design schools offer the strongest combination of academic rigor and career preparation.
Show all 12 ranked programs
| Rank | School | Location | Type | Tuition | Grad Rate | Hakia Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL | Private | $39,248 | — | 53.5 |
| #7 | Lewis University | Romeoville, IL | Private | $37,592 | 99% | 51.6 |
| #8 | University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | Public | $12,656 | 88% | 49.0 |
| #9 | Eureka College | Eureka, IL | Private | $27,450 | 82% | 45.7 |
| #10 | Greenville University | Greenville, IL | Private | $29,998 | — | 42.9 |
| #11 | Blackburn College | Carlinville, IL | Private | $26,758 | — | 41.4 |
| #12 | Trinity Christian College | Palos Heights, IL | Private | $19,800 | — | 36.1 |
Best Master's UX Design Programs in Illinois
Program Landscape
Illinois offers 3 master's degree programs in ux design, designed for professionals seeking to advance into senior engineering, technical leadership, and specialized roles. The top programs, DePaul, U of Chicago, Northwestern, combine advanced technical training with research opportunities and leadership development.
Career Outcomes
Master's graduates in Illinois earn a median salary of $113,200, approximately 20-30% higher than bachelor's degree holders. The concentration of technology companies in Chicago, Naperville, Champaign creates strong demand for graduate-level talent, with Salesforce, Google, Groupon actively recruiting from these programs.
Costs & Value
Program formats include traditional full-time study (typically 2 years), part-time options for working professionals (2-3 years), and accelerated tracks. Tuition averages $57,356/yr, with many employers offering tuition reimbursement for graduate education. Some programs offer thesis and non-thesis tracks, allowing students to focus on research or professional development based on their career goals.
Curriculum & Specializations
Curriculum covers advanced topics including machine learning, distributed systems, software architecture, and technical management. Many programs include practicum experiences, industry capstone projects, or consulting engagements that provide real-world application of advanced concepts. Among Illinois's ux design schools at the graduate level, these programs stand out for both academic quality and career outcomes.
University of Chicago
UX Design Degree Costs & Tuition in Illinois
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average in-state tuition | $22,877/year |
| Average out-of-state tuition | $57,193/year |
| Community college tuition | $5,719/year |
| 4-year savings for residents | $137,264 |
| 2+2 transfer pathway savings | $34,316 |
Source: IPEDS 2024
Financial Aid & Scholarships for UX Design Students in Illinois
State Aid Programs
Illinois students can access multiple financial aid sources, including federal Pell Grants, state Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants, and university-specific scholarships. The state's commitment to technology education, demonstrated through Governor Pritzker's $500 million quantum technology investment, often translates into increased funding for STEM and technology-related programs (University of Chicago Bloch Tech Hub).
Key Programs & Amounts
Technology companies participating in Illinois's growing tech ecosystem frequently offer scholarships and paid internship programs. The state's Innovate Illinois initiative, which has secured nearly $1.5 billion in federal funding, creates opportunities for research assistantships and technology fellowships (Brookings Chicago Tech Growth). Students should investigate both need-based and merit-based options early in their academic planning.
Institutional Scholarships
Comprehensive financial planning should include exploring financial aid guide resources to understand all available options. Illinois's strong economy and growing tech sector create opportunities for work-study programs and paid cooperative education experiences that help offset educational costs while providing valuable industry experience.
UX Design Degree ROI Calculator, Illinois
Use our interactive ROI calculator to estimate your return on investment for a ux design degree in Illinois. Enter your expected tuition costs, financial aid, and career goals to see projected payback periods and lifetime earnings. The calculator uses current salary data from BLS and tuition data from IPEDS to provide accurate estimates.
UX Design Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your return on investment for a ux design degree
Leave blank to use average cost for selected program type
+539%
Net gain divided by total investment. ROI above 200% is considered excellent for education investments.
$998,017
Your additional lifetime earnings with this degree vs. working without one, minus the total investment.
6 years
Years until your cumulative earnings exceed total investment. Shorter programs often break even faster due to lower opportunity cost.
$100,000
Your starting salary adjusted for local cost of living. This shows real purchasing power compared to a $100K national baseline.
Why does break-even change with program type? Your "total investment" includes both tuition AND opportunity cost (foregone earnings while in school). A 4-year full-time public university (in-state) means 4 years of not earning a salary ($140,000 in opportunity cost). Shorter full-time programs may have higher tuition but lower total investment because you return to the workforce sooner.
Detailed Breakdown
How we calculate your degree ROI using real salary data
Tuition plus opportunity cost (earnings you miss while in school)
Direct cost of the degree program
4 years × $35K/year foregone salary while studying full-time
Projected career earnings starting after graduation, with salary growth
What you'd earn working at $35K/year with 2% annual growth
Median salary for this role in your selected location (BLS 2024)
Your investment's compound annual growth rate (similar to stock market returns)
Data sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, IPEDS 2024. Calculations use median salaries, 3% discount rate, and assume salary growth declines from 6% to 2% over career. Individual results will vary. | Powered by Hakia.com
UX Design Salaries by Metro Area
Median annual salary in Illinois metro areas
View data table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Chicago | $125K |
| Naperville | $119K |
| Champaign | $113K |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024
Hakia.com
Top Employers Hiring UX Design Graduates in Illinois
Find ux design jobs in Illinois. These major employers across Illinois metro areas are actively hiring ux design degree holders. Click employer names to view current job openings.
UX Design Jobs in Chicago
ILChicago is a fintech and trading technology hub. CME Group and numerous trading firms drive demand for tech talent.
Nearby cities: Evanston, Oak Brook, Schaumburg, Naperville, Aurora, Downers Grove, Skokie
Illinois Tech Industry & Infrastructure
Illinois — and specifically the Chicago metro — is the largest US Midwest tech hub and uniquely combines financial-services tech (CBOE, CME Group, Citadel before its move, Morningstar) with a deep enterprise/IT employer base (Caterpillar, Boeing, Walgreens, McDonald's IT). The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign CS program is one of the largest CS-graduate producers in the country.
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Trading and financial-services tech hub (CBOE, CME Group, Citadel Securities, Jump Trading), plus major Chicago offices for Google, Meta, Salesforce. Northwestern, UChicago, and UIUC alumni concentrate here.
Urbana-Champaign
Champaign metro
UIUC research and startup spinout hub. UIUC's CS program produces one of the largest US bachelor's CS graduate cohorts; Research Park hosts engineering offices for John Deere, Yahoo, ADM, and others.
Illinois has a flat-rate state income tax. The state offers EDGE tax credits for qualifying tech-employer investments.
Illinois Regulation Affecting UX Design Graduates
Illinois has the most stringent biometric-privacy law in the United States. For ML, AI, and identity-verification engineers, Illinois BIPA is a foundational compliance constraint that has reshaped product design at major US tech employers.
Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)
Strictest US biometric privacy law. Requires written consent before collecting, storing, or using biometric identifiers (fingerprints, facial geometry, voiceprints). Provides a private right of action — including statutory damages of $1,000-$5,000 per violation.
Critical for any engineer building face-recognition, fingerprint, voice-print, or similar biometric features. BIPA litigation has produced settlements in the hundreds of millions (Facebook: $650M, TikTok: $92M). Most major US tech companies have modified product behavior specifically to avoid BIPA exposure.
Read moreIllinois Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)
Requires reasonable security measures for personal information and sets data-breach notification requirements.
Standard data-protection compliance for any IL-resident-serving business.
Read moreIllinois Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act
Employers using AI to analyze video interviews must notify candidates, obtain consent, explain how the AI works, and limit data sharing.
AI/ML engineers building hiring-tech serving Illinois employers must implement consent flows and AI-explanation interfaces.
Read moreProfessional Engineer Licensure in Illinois
Illinois does not currently administer a separate Software Engineering PE license. Standard engineering PE disciplines (mechanical, electrical) require ABET-EAC accreditation; software engineering specifically is not a Illinois-recognized PE discipline.
Illinois licensing boardIllinois Financial Aid Programs
Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant
State grantUp to ~$8,400/yr
Illinois residents with financial need at IL institutions
AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program
Merit-need hybridUp to in-state tuition coverage
Illinois residents with academic merit and financial need at IL public universities
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship
State scholarshipUp to $7,500/yr
Minority IL residents pursuing teaching credentials; CS/tech education tracks eligible
Transfer Pathways for UX Design Degrees in Illinois
State Transfer System
Illinois operates the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), which facilitates credit transfer between community colleges and four-year universities. Students can complete general education requirements at community colleges before transferring to complete UX design specialization coursework. This pathway significantly reduces educational costs while maintaining access to quality instruction at institutions like Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago.
How Transfers Work
Transfer students should work closely with academic advisors to ensure prerequisite courses align with their target university's requirements. Many programs require portfolio development and design fundamentals that may not be available at all community colleges. Students can explore most affordable programs ux design to identify cost-effective pathways that maintain program quality and career preparation standards.
Illinois's Tech Ecosystem
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024, CompTIA State of Tech Workforce 2025, Glassdoor
UX Design Job Market & Salary Data in Illinois
Employment Outlook
Illinois's tech sector shows strong employment growth, with Chicago serving as a hub for emerging technology clusters and established Fortune 500 companies (Brookings Chicago Tech Growth). The state's quantum technology initiative alone involves over 50 public and private entities across the Chicago and Midwest region, creating demand for UX designers who can work with advanced interfaces (University of Chicago Bloch Tech Hub).
Salaries by Metro
Career prospects remain strong across multiple sectors, from traditional software development to emerging quantum computing applications. Illinois Institute of Technology reports active recruitment from numerous companies at their career fairs, indicating consistent employer demand for technology graduates (Illinois Institute of Technology Career Services). The state's diverse economy provides UX opportunities in finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and emerging tech sectors.
High-Growth Sectors
Students can explore related career paths through software developer and data scientist roles that often require UX skills. The job market benefits from Illinois's strategic positioning as a technology leader, with Governor Pritzker's proposed $500 million investment in quantum technologies creating new opportunities for designers who understand complex technical interfaces.
Entry-Level (0-2 yrs)
New graduates and career changers
Senior (8+ yrs)
Technical leads and architects
Online vs On-Campus UX Design Programs in Illinois
Online Programs
11 available in Illinois
On-Campus Programs
Traditional classroom experience
Compare UX Design Programs in Other States
- Total Programs
- 18
- Median Tuition
- $5,500
- Total Programs
- 16
- Median Tuition
- $30,600
- Total Programs
- 7
- Median Tuition
- $14,200
- Total Programs
- 12
- Median Tuition
- $19,900
- Total Programs
- 15
- Median Tuition
- $6,300
- Total Programs
- 65
- Median Tuition
- $6,200
- Total Programs
- 25
- Median Tuition
- $4,200
- Total Programs
- 32
- Median Tuition
- $8,800
UX Design Degree Programs in Illinois: FAQ
What are the best ux design degree programs in Illinois?
How much do ux design degree programs cost in Illinois?
What salary can ux design degree graduates earn in Illinois?
Are there online ux design degree programs in Illinois?
What companies hire ux design degree graduates in Illinois?
Is an ux design degree program worth it in Illinois?
How long do ux design degree programs take in Illinois?
What financial aid is available for ux design degree students in Illinois?
Data Sources
Institutional characteristics, completions, graduation rates
Illinois salary and employment data
Program details and admissions information
Last Updated: June 26, 2026. Rankings based on IPEDS 2024 data. Salary data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
Taylor Rupe
Co-founder & Editor (B.S. Computer Science, Oregon State • B.A. Psychology, University of Washington)
Taylor combines technical expertise in computer science with a deep understanding of human behavior and learning. His dual background drives Hakia's mission: leveraging technology to build authoritative educational resources that help people make better decisions about their academic and career paths.