2023 Best Value Colleges for Law in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
23
Ranked Colleges
5,062
Degrees Awarded
$21,600
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Law is the 28th most popular major in the country with 36,216 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, law graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $64,466 and had an average of $19,500 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 5,062 law graduates with average earnings and debt of $65,903 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 23 colleges that offer a degree in law. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great law programs and 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 law program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region law students with aid.
Top 23 Best Value Colleges for Law in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 363 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
U-M also took the #3 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $14,878 for great lakes region law students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Law Report
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #2 spot on the list. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 161 ’s law degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $14,619 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Law at IU Bloomington
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 268 ’s law degrees to qualified students.
UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $17,234 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
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%. 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 full report on Law at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #4 spot on the list. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 235 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
IUPUI also made our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $12,416 for great lakes region law students with aid.
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 full report on Law at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 296 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $23,279 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%.
Read more about Law at Northwestern
With a ranking of #6, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s law degrees to 179 students in 2020-2021.
Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $16,845 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid per year to attend Ohio State.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Law Report
With a ranking of #7, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Wayne State is a large public school situated in Detroit, Michigan. It awarded 119 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wayne State, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,962 for great lakes region law students with aid per year to attend Wayne State.
Full Wayne State University Law Report
With a ranking of #8, University of Detroit Mercy did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Detroit Mercy is a medium-sized school located in Detroit, Michigan that handed out 176 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
Detroit Mercy not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Detroit Mercy is $17,058 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Law at University of Detroit Mercy
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UC is a large public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 127 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region law students with aid list, UC has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $22,415 for great lakes region law students with aid per year to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Law Report
Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Carbondale, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s law degrees to 61 students in 2020-2021.
SIUC also took the #21 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $16,285 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
Read full report on Law at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
University of Chicago came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 212 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $28,517 for great lakes region law students with aid.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Chicago Law Report
With a ranking of #12, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Notre Dame, Indiana. It awarded 183 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
Notre Dame also took the #4 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $31,101 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Notre Dame Law Report
Cleveland State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cleveland State University is a public institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 125 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Cleveland State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $16,943 for great lakes region law students with aid per year to attend Cleveland State University.
Read full report on Law at Cleveland State University
University of Toledo ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Toledo is a fairly large public school situated in Toledo, Ohio. It awarded 72 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Toledo, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Toledo is $17,312 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
Read full report on Law at University of Toledo
University of Akron Main Campus came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 131 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Akron Main Campus also took the #22 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Akron Main Campus is $17,945 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
Read more about Law at University of Akron Main Campus
With a ranking of #16, Illinois Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 226 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
Illinois Tech also took the #9 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $23,772 for great lakes region law students with aid per year to attend Illinois Tech.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Law at Illinois Institute of Technology
With a ranking of #17, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 73 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for NIU is $13,956 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
Full NIU Law Report
Capital University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s law degrees to 121 students in 2020-2021.
Capital also made our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Capital University is $20,020 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% 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 Law at Capital University
Ohio Northern University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Ada, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s law degrees to 44 students in 2020-2021.
ONU also made our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend ONU is $25,056 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.
Read more about Law at Ohio Northern University
Case Western Reserve University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. This fairly large school is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and it awarded 154 ’s law degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region law students with aid list, Case Western has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Case Western Reserve University is $34,214 for great lakes region law students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Law at Case Western
Marquette University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Marquette is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 195 ’s law degrees to qualified students.
Marquette also made our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Marquette University is $30,380 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Law at Marquette University
DePaul University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s law degrees to 192 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region law students with aid list, DePaul has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul is $31,174 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
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 full report on Law at DePaul University
With a ranking of #23, Loyola University Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Loyola Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 233 ’s law degrees to qualified students.
Loyola Chicago also took the #8 spot in our “Best Law Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola University Chicago is $36,434 for Great Lakes Region Law students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Loyola University Chicago Law Report
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
