2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k
169
Ranked Colleges
45,404
Degrees Awarded
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
Education is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 4th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 327,871 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $46,202 and had an average of $24,437 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 45,404 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $43,621 and $25,804 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 169 colleges that offered a degree in education. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent education programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Education (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 92 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $5,849 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Education at Northwestern
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. UChicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 46 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
UChicago also made our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $8,375 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full UChicago Education Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 653 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Purdue has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $8,450 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Education at Purdue University - Main Campus
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 248 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k list, U-M has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $10,481 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Education at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Sinclair Community College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 87 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $6,283 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Sinclair Community College.
Read more about Education at Sinclair Community College
With a ranking of #6, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 567 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
UIUC also made our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $11,505 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UIUC.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Education Report
Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 608 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend IU Bloomington is $12,369 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Full IU Bloomington Education Report
University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 613 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,364 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Education at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ball State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this large public school awarded 2,554 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ball State, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ball State University is $15,158 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Ball State Education Report
With a ranking of #10, Oakland University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Rochester Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 428 students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $12,008 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Oakland University.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Oakland University Education Report
With a ranking of #11, Ivy Tech Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 1,035 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $9,405 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ivy Tech Community College.
Read full report on Education at Ivy Tech Community College
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 333 students in 2020-2021.
UW - La Crosse also claimed a top spot on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $13,198 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - La Crosse.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Education at UW - La Crosse
University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Illinois at Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 385 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UIC is also in the top of our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $14,105 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Illinois at Chicago Education Report
University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 264 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - River Falls is also in the top of our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for UW - River Falls is $14,528 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full UW - River Falls Education Report
With a ranking of #15, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 674 students in 2020-2021.
Ohio State also made our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #25. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $13,273 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Ohio State Education Report
Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 334 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUC, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,499 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SIUC.
Full Southern Illinois University Carbondale Education Report
Central Michigan University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Mount Pleasant, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 559 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Central Michigan, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan University is $15,720 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Central Michigan Education Report
Milwaukee Area Technical College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. MATC is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 94 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Milwaukee Area Technical College is $10,641 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about Education at Milwaukee Area Technical College
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Cincinnati State is $6,934 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Full Cincinnati State Education Report
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 288 students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $13,306 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Education at IUPUI
With a ranking of #21, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large school located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that handed out 240 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Eau Claire excels when it comes to education quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $14,737 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Education at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Cuyahoga Community College District landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Cuyahoga Community College District is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $6,616 for great lakes region education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cuyahoga Community College District.
Read full report on Education at Cuyahoga Community College District
University of Michigan - Dearborn landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized school located in Dearborn, Michigan that handed out 136 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UM Dearborn is $12,398 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Education at University of Michigan - Dearborn
Indiana University - Northwest came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Gary, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 55 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for IU Northwest is $7,885 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Education at IU Northwest
With a ranking of #25, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 175 students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend NWTC is $11,982 for Great Lakes Region Education students whose families make $48-$75k.
Full NWTC Education Report
