by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the college options in the Great Lakes Region, narrowing things down is no easy task. This list ranks **387** colleges by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.To arm you with the information you need, College Factual analyzed 387 colleges using more than 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Learn more about these excellent colleges below: Leading the list is Northwestern University, our #1 college in the Great Lakes Region. Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit school based in Evanston, IL. The six-year graduation rate is 95%. In-state tuition and fees run about $68,322. Median early-career earnings reach $78,551. The median student debt is $16,616. University Of Chicago came in at #2 on this year's Best Colleges ranking in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Chicago is a private not-for-profit school based in Chicago, IL. About 96% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,324. University Of Chicago graduates report median early-career earnings of $81,002. The median student debt is $15,854. You'll be in good company at University Of Michigan Ann Arbor, which ranked #3 this year. Based in Ann Arbor, MI, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor posts a six-year graduation rate of 93%. Students from in state pay about $18,848 in tuition and fees, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $66,254 early in their careers. Graduates carry a median of $19,137 in student loans. Out of the 387 colleges in the Great Lakes Region in this year's ranking, University Of Wisconsin Madison landed the #4 spot. This public school is set in Madison, WI. About 90% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, with out-of-state students paying around $42,103. Median early-career earnings reach $59,877. University Of Wisconsin Madison students take on a median of $21,813 in debt.1
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The strong outcomes at University Of Notre Dame earned it the #5 place in the Great Lakes Region. Based in Notre Dame, IN, University Of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution. University Of Notre Dame graduates 95% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $65,025. Median early-career earnings reach $69,494. University Of Notre Dame students take on a median of $19,891 in debt.5
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Based in Champaign, IL, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public institution. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign graduates 85% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $57,461. Students borrow a median of $20,778 to complete a degree here. Purdue University Main Campus did well this year, earning the #7 position. Located in West Lafayette, IN, Purdue University Main Campus is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 83%. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,111 early in their careers. Purdue University Main Campus students take on a median of $19,844 in debt. Indiana University Bloomington did well this year, earning the #8 position. Based in Bloomington, IN, Indiana University Bloomington is a public institution. Indiana University Bloomington posts a six-year graduation rate of 80%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,144, with out-of-state students paying around $41,891. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $52,123. Students borrow a median of $20,542 to complete a degree here. Ohio State University Main Campus did well this year, earning the #9 position. This public school is set in Columbus, OH. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Ohio State University Main Campus graduates report median early-career earnings of $58,088. Students borrow a median of $22,053 to complete a degree here.6
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University Of Dayton did well this year, earning the #10 position. Based in Dayton, OH, University Of Dayton is a private not-for-profit institution. About 80% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $49,140. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $56,077. Graduates carry a median of $25,033 in student loans.10
Michigan State University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. This public school is set in East Lansing, MI. Michigan State University graduates 81% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Median early-career earnings reach $54,166. Graduates carry a median of $25,213 in student loans. Case Western Reserve University landed the #12 spot in the Great Lakes Region this year. Based in Cleveland, OH, Case Western Reserve University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 87% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,608. Graduates go on to earn a median of $74,459 early in their careers. The median student debt is $25,106. Butler University placed #13 among the best colleges in the Great Lakes Region. This private not-for-profit school is set in Indianapolis, IN. Butler University posts a six-year graduation rate of 79%. In-state tuition and fees average $47,560. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $68,222. Butler University students take on a median of $25,351 in debt. Loyola University Chicago did well this year, earning the #14 position. Based in Chicago, IL, Loyola University Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 75% of students complete a degree within six years here. Students from in state pay about $53,710 in tuition and fees. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $58,568. Graduates carry a median of $23,521 in student loans.11
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Marquette University placed #15 among the best colleges in the Great Lakes Region. Based in Milwaukee, WI, Marquette University is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 83% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $51,170. Median early-career earnings reach $60,443. Typical student debt is $24,122.15
Illinois State University ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Located in Normal, IL, Illinois State University is a public institution. Illinois State University posts a six-year graduation rate of 64%. In-state tuition and fees run about $14,410, while out-of-state students pay about $26,058. Graduates go on to earn a median of $49,660 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $21,896. Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Set in Terre Haute, IN, Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. About 78% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,046. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $83,140. The median student debt is $25,148. University Of Illinois At Chicago ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Based in Chicago, IL, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a public institution. University Of Illinois At Chicago posts a six-year graduation rate of 62%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, with out-of-state students paying around $32,009. Median early-career earnings reach $61,829. Graduates carry a median of $20,115 in student loans. Miami University Oxford landed the #19 spot in the Great Lakes Region this year. Located in Oxford, OH, Miami University Oxford is a public institution. Miami University Oxford graduates 80% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,519, with out-of-state students paying around $38,965. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $49,700. Graduates carry a median of $24,177 in student loans.16
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Midwestern University Downers Grove landed the #20 spot in the Great Lakes Region this year. Set in Downers Grove, IL, Midwestern University Downers Grove is a private not-for-profit institution. Median early-career earnings reach $98,692.20
Wheaton College Illinois came in at #21 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Wheaton, IL. About 85% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $45,546. Wheaton College Illinois graduates report median early-career earnings of $43,654. Students borrow a median of $23,292 to complete a degree here. Denison University did well this year, earning the #22 position. Set in Granville, OH, Denison University is a private not-for-profit institution. Denison University posts a six-year graduation rate of 79%. Students from in state pay about $67,000 in tuition and fees. Median early-career earnings reach $39,797. The median student debt is $25,360. Rush University came in at #23 in this year's ranking. Located in Chicago, IL, Rush University is a private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $33,751. Early-career graduates earn a median of $81,296. The median student debt is $31,206. Depaul University came in at #24 in this year's ranking. Depaul University is a private not-for-profit school based in Chicago, IL. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $45,405. Graduates go on to earn a median of $55,226 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,310 to complete a degree here. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best colleges. Located in La Crosse, WI, University Of Wisconsin La Crosse is a public institution. University Of Wisconsin La Crosse posts a six-year graduation rate of 71%. In-state tuition and fees average $10,070, while out-of-state students pay about $19,517. Median early-career earnings reach $49,223. The median student debt is $23,551.2122
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Explore the rest of the top 20% below:Rank College Location 51 Kettering University Flint, MI 52 North Central College Naperville, IL 53 Saint Norbert College De Pere, WI 54 Grand Valley State University Allendale, MI 55 Benedictine University Lisle, IL 56 Ball State University Muncie, IN 57 Taylor University Upland, IN 58 Carroll University Waukesha, WI
These colleges narrowly missed the top tiers:Rank College Location 59 Fox College Inc Tinley Park, IL 60 University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI 61 Milwaukee School Of Engineering Milwaukee, WI 62 Cedarville University Cedarville, OH 63 Concordia University Chicago River Forest, IL 64 Wabash College Crawfordsville, IN 65 University Of Wisconsin Platteville Platteville, WI 66 Bellin College Green Bay, WI 67 Ohio Northern University Ada, OH 68 University Of Wisconsin Whitewater Whitewater, WI 69 Augustana College Illinois Rock Island, IL 70 Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL 71 Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI 72 University Of Wisconsin Stout Menomonie, WI 73 Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 74 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville, IL |
| 75 | Concordia University Wisconsin | Mequon, WI |
| 76 | Aurora University | Aurora, IL |
| 77 | University Of Southern Indiana | Evansville, IN |
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Colleges are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.