by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
We analyzed 362 schools across the Great Lakes Region to determine which have the best value programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best value schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
To calculate the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking, we first consider its average net price of students from families making over $110k a year. The net price is the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that that the student receives. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To account for this we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named Purdue University - Main Campus the best value (income over $110k) school in the Great Lakes Region . Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, the school is a large public institution.
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 over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $15,010.
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list means Eastern Gateway Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. Eastern Gateway Community College is a large public school located in Steubenville, Ohio.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Eastern Gateway Community College is ranked #15 for quality in the state of Ohio. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $7,915.
Out of the 362 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, College of Lake County landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Grayslake, Illinois, the school is a fairly large public institution.
Not only is College of Lake County a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in Illinois for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $10,043.
Out of the 362 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Macomb Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Warren, Michigan, the school is a fairly large public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Macomb Community College is ranked #8 for quality in the state of Michigan. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $10,023.
The quality degree programs at Elgin Community College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region. This medium-sized public school is located in Elgin, Illinois.
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 over $110k per year is $8,745.
Sinclair Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Sinclair Community College is a fairly large public school situated in Dayton, Ohio.
Sinclair Community College has the honor of being ranked #29 in Ohio for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $8,258.
Oakton Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. Oakton Community College is located in Des Plaines, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Oakton Community College is ranked #37 for quality in the state of Illinois. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,985.
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Cincinnati State is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College has the honor of being ranked #13 in Ohio for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $12,864.
Full Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Value Report
Washtenaw Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
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 over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,209.
With a ranking of #10, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Michigan State is located in East Lansing, Michigan and has a large student population. It is a public school.
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 over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $19,612.
City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College a great value, but it is also ranked #52 in Illinois for overall quality. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,615.
Learn More About Value at City Colleges of Chicago - Wilbur Wright College
Ivy Tech Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ivy Tech Community College is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and has a large student population. It is a public school.
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 over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $12,486.
Carl Sandburg College landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Galesburg, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Carl Sandburg College is ranked #65 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $7,197.
Moody Bible Institute landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the school is a small private not-for-profit institution.
The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $20,655.
College of DuPage landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. College of DuPage is a large public school 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 over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $11,603.
Western Technical College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Western Technical College is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Western Technical College has the honor of being ranked #7 in Wisconsin for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,994.
Danville Area Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list. DACC is located in Danville, Illinois and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Danville Area Community College has the honor of being ranked #64 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $7,504.
Waubonsee Community College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Sugar Grove, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Waubonsee Community College is ranked #50 for quality in the state of Illinois. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $9,306.
Madison Area Technical College landed the #19 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Madison College is located in Madison, Wisconsin and has a fairly large student population. It is a public school.
Madison Area Technical College has the honor of being ranked #10 in Wisconsin for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $14,018.
Lansing Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Lansing Community College is a fairly large public school located in Lansing, Michigan.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Lansing Community College is ranked #31 for quality in the state of Michigan. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,616.
Northcentral Technical College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list. North Central Technical College is located in Wausau, Wisconsin and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Northcentral Technical College is ranked #9 for quality in the state of Wisconsin. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $14,279.
With a ranking of #22, Joliet Junior College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Joliet Junior College is a fairly large public school located in Joliet, Illinois.
Joliet Junior College has the honor of being ranked #53 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $9,493.
John Wood Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking. John Wood Community College is located in Quincy, Illinois and has a small student population. It is a public school.
John Wood Community College has the honor of being ranked #62 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,189.
With a ranking of #24, William Rainey Harper College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Palatine, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
William Rainey Harper College has the honor of being ranked #25 in Illinois for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes over $110k per year is $12,901.
With a ranking of #25, Gateway Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region list. Gateway Technical College is a public institution located in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Gateway Technical College has the honor of being ranked #13 in Wisconsin for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make over $110k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,980.
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 | Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton, WI | Value Report |
| 52 | Grand Rapids Community College | Grand Rapids, MI | Value Report |
| 53 | Blackhawk Technical College | Janesville, WI | Value Report |
| 54 | Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee, WI | Value Report |
| 55 | University of Wisconsin - River Falls | River Falls, WI | Value Report |
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These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region ranking:
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | Vincennes University | Vincennes, IN | Value Report |
| 57 | Richland Community College | Decatur, IL | Value Report |
| 58 | Indiana University - Kokomo | Kokomo, IN | Value Report |
| 59 | Moraine Park Technical College | Fond du Lac, WI | Value Report |
| 60 | Lake Land College | Mattoon, IL | Value Report |
| 61 | Ohio University - Zanesville Campus | Zanesville, OH | Value Report |
| 62 | University of Wisconsin - Whitewater | Whitewater, WI | Value Report |
| 63 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical College | Green Bay, WI | Value Report |
| 64 | Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis | Indianapolis, IN | Value Report |
| 65 | Concordia University, Chicago | River Forest, IL | Value Report |
| 66 | Kankakee Community College | Kankakee, IL | Value Report |
| 67 | Ohio University - Southern Campus | Ironton, OH | Value Report |
| 68 | Indiana University - Southeast | New Albany, IN | Value Report |
| 69 | James A Rhodes State College | Lima, OH | Value Report |
| 70 | Stark State College | North Canton, OH | Value Report |
| Rank | College | Location | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | Parkland College | Champaign, IL | Value Report |
| 72 | Prairie State College | Chicago Heights, IL | Value Report |
| 73 | Ball State University | Muncie, IN | Value Report |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.