by our College Data Analytics Team
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 327,871 education students received their degree, making the major the 4th most popular in the country. 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.
For this year’s “Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 169 colleges that offer 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.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the education program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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 Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region education students with aid.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sinclair Community College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Dayton, Ohio. It awarded 87 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $4,959 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid per year to attend Sinclair Community College.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 653 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $13,377 for great lakes region education students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 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. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $14,321 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Education Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Bloomington. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 608 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $14,619 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid per year to attend IU Bloomington.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Education at Indiana University - Bloomington
Out of the 169 schools in the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Ball State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Ball State University is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 2,554 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region education students with aid list, Ball State has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,765 for great lakes region education students with aid per year to attend Ball State University.
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%.
With a ranking of #6, Ivy Tech Community College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Ivy Tech Community College is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,035 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $7,669 for great lakes region education students with aid per year to attend Ivy Tech Community College.
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and it awarded 333 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - La Crosse also did well on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $14,654 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid.
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%.
University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 385 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
UIC excels when it comes to education quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,214 for great lakes region education students with aid per year to attend University of Illinois at Chicago.
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%.
Milwaukee Area Technical College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 94 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for MATC is $8,721 for great lakes region education students with aid.
University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 613 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,234 for great lakes region education students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Read more about Education at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. 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 $5,532 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid.
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. IUPUI is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 288 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $12,416 for great lakes region education students with aid per year to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Education Report
Indiana University - Northwest came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. IU Northwest is a public institution located in Gary, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for IU Northwest is $6,363 for great lakes region education students with aid.
University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in River Falls, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 264 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, UW - River Falls is in the top on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $13,844 for great lakes region education students with aid.
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%.
Read full report on Education at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
With a ranking of #15, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. NWTC is a fairly large school located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that handed out 175 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is $10,962 for great lakes region education students with aid.
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 503 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $14,417 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.
Cuyahoga Community College District ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Cuyahoga Community College District is a fairly large school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 32 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Cuyahoga Community College District is $4,909 for great lakes region education students with aid.
Read full report on Education at Cuyahoga Community College District
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UW - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 240 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Eau Claire 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. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $16,051 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid.
Central Michigan University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Central Michigan University is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 559 ’s education degrees to qualified students.
Central Michigan not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $16,007 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid.
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%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and 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. The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $16,285 for great lakes region education students with aid.
Purdue University Northwest came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Hammond, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 108 students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Purdue University Northwest is $11,384 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid.
National Louis University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 1,158 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
NLU also claimed a top spot on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NLU is $14,584 for great lakes region education students with aid.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 248 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $14,878 for great lakes region education students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school situated in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It awarded 298 ’s education degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $13,346 for Great Lakes Region Education students with aid.
Michigan State University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 767 students in 2020-2021.
Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $19,058 for great lakes region education students with aid per year to attend Michigan State University.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
