by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a degree. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Great Lakes Region Schools For The Money For Those Making $30-$48k ranking - to help you make that decision. Due to the amount of income-based financial aid available, many 'high-priced' schools are more affordable than you think.
In This Year's Value Report:
We analyzed 386 schools across the Great Lakes Region to determine which have the best value programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best value schools. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
When determining the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking, we first look at its average net price of a student coming from a family that makes $30-$48k a year. The net price is defined as the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that the student receives. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a good education, not just how much it costs.
To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
To learn more, visit our best value ranking methodology page.
You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.
Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
University of Chicago tops this year’s ranking as the best value (income $30-$48k) school in the Great Lakes Region for overall quality. UChicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Chicago is ranked #1 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,316.
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region list means Northwestern University is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Evanston, Illinois, the school is a large private not-for-profit institution.
Not only is Northwestern University a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $6,236.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Purdue University - Main Campus is ranked #2 for quality in the state of Indiana. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,955.
The quality degree programs at University of Wisconsin - Madison helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region. This large public school is located in Madison, Wisconsin.
Not only is University of Wisconsin - Madison a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Wisconsin for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,697.
The quality degree programs at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Not only is University of Michigan - Ann Arbor a great value, but it is also ranked #1 in Michigan for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,904.
landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
University of Notre Dame landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Notre Dame, Indiana.
University of Notre Dame has the honor of being ranked #1 in Indiana for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $8,482.
Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana.
Indiana University - Bloomington has the honor of being ranked #3 in Indiana for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,914.
Michigan State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Michigan State University is a large public school located in East Lansing, Michigan.
Michigan State University has the honor of being ranked #2 in Michigan for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,117.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large public school is located in Champaign, Illinois.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is ranked #3 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $8,821.
Read full value report on University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Eastern Gateway Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Steubenville, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Eastern Gateway Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #15 in Ohio for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,669.
Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region list. This large public school is located in Columbus, Ohio.
Ohio State University - Main Campus has the honor of being ranked #2 in Ohio for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $8,932.
With a ranking of #13, Elgin Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region list. ECC is located in Elgin, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Elgin Community College has the honor of being ranked #29 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $2,652.
Michigan Technological University landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Houghton, Michigan.
Michigan Technological University has the honor of being ranked #3 in Michigan for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,254.
College of Lake County came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Grayslake, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
College of Lake County has the honor of being ranked #12 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $5,633.
Macomb Community College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Macomb Community College is a fairly large public school located in Warren, Michigan.
Not only is Macomb Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #8 in Michigan for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,028.
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and has a large student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in Indiana for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $6,181.
Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Value Report
Washtenaw Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Washtenaw Community College is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Washtenaw Community College has the honor of being ranked #26 in Michigan for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,341.
Delta College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. This medium-sized public school is located in University Center, Michigan.
Delta College has the honor of being ranked #35 in Michigan for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $1,191.
College of DuPage came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. COD is a public institution located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
Not only is College of DuPage a great value, but it is also ranked #31 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,233.
Sinclair Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large public school located in Dayton, Ohio.
Not only is Sinclair Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #29 in Ohio for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $3,635.
With a ranking of #22, City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region list. This small public school is located in Chicago, Illinois.
Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,119.
Learn More About Value at City Colleges of Chicago - Olive-Harvey College
Joliet Junior College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. Joliet Junior College is located in Joliet, Illinois and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Joliet Junior College is ranked #53 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $30-$48k per year is $2,662.
Ivy Tech Community College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Ivy Tech Community College is a large public school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Ivy Tech Community College has the honor of being ranked #11 in Indiana for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,880.
Indiana University - Kokomo did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. Kokomo, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Indiana University - Kokomo has the honor of being ranked #39 in Indiana for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $30-$48k a year pay an annual average net price of $1,339.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
View Best Value
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey, IL | Value Report |
| 52 | Kent State University at Stark | North Canton, OH | Value Report |
| 53 | Indiana University - Southeast | New Albany, IN | Value Report |
| 54 | University of Michigan - Dearborn | Dearborn, MI | Value Report |
| 55 | Indiana University - Northwest | Gary, IN | Value Report |
| 56 | Danville Area Community College | Danville, IL | Value Report |
| 57 | Oakland University | Rochester Hills, MI | Value Report |
| 58 | Lorain County Community College | Elyria, OH | Value Report |
All Majors and Fields of Study >
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | Oberlin College | Oberlin, OH | Value Report |
| 60 | Richland Community College | Decatur, IL | Value Report |
| 61 | Midwestern Career College | Chicago, IL | Value Report |
| 62 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI | Value Report |
| 63 | City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J Daley College | Chicago, IL | Value Report |
| 63 | North Central State College | Mansfield, OH | Value Report |
| 65 | University of Wisconsin - Whitewater | Whitewater, WI | Value Report |
| 66 | University of Wisconsin - River Falls | River Falls, WI | Value Report |
| 67 | Clark State Community College | Springfield, OH | Value Report |
| 68 | Northwestern Michigan College | Traverse City, MI | Value Report |
| 69 | Trinity Christian College | Palos Heights, IL | Value Report |
| 70 | Waukesha County Technical College | Pewaukee, WI | Value Report |
| 71 | Mott Community College | Flint, MI | Value Report |
| 72 | University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire | Eau Claire, WI | Value Report |
| 73 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay, WI | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | Vincennes University | Vincennes, IN | Value Report |
| 75 | McHenry County College | Crystal Lake, IL | Value Report |
| 76 | Northcentral Technical College | Wausau, WI | Value Report |
| 77 | Lake Land College | Mattoon, IL | Value Report |
| 78 | Indiana University - East | Richmond, IN | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.