Finding the best college for your son or daughter is a difficult task. This list can help you keep them closer to home.

26 Illinois Colleges on Forbes 'Best Deals' List
Thinkstock
loading...

This list was compiled by Forbes and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP) and they used data from 1,400 colleges and universities to compile a list of 660 schools, according to rockrivertimes.com.

This is the 9th year Forbes and CCAP have compiled this list. This list differs from other rankings because the surveyors measure graduate career success, says Joshua Distel, administrative director for CCAP. Student debt and satisfaction after the fact are also used in compiling this list.

26 Illinois Colleges on Forbes 'Best Deals' List
Getty Images
loading...
  • Northwestern and University of Chicago are both in the top 20.
  • U of I Champaign-Urbana is number 72 on the list.
  • Northern Illinois University is number 606

The top 5 colleges on the list are:

  • Stanford
  • Williams (Mass.)
  • Princeton
  • Harvard
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

To see the entire Forbes list including the 24 other Illinois colleges that made it not the list, click HERE.

More From 97 ZOK