by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a grad degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its Best Doctor's Degree Colleges in the Great Lakes Region ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
Jump to Any of the Following Sections: * Our Methodology
We analyzed 107 grad schools across the Great Lakes Region to determine which have the best doctorate degree programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best grad schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a doctorate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. While doctorate degree recipients from schools in the Great Lakes Region earn an average starting salary of $74,305, those from the top 21 school on this list made an average of $80,039.
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that graduate students take on while pursuing their doctorate degree. The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
Our Best Doctorate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt. These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.
To learn more, visit our graduate school ranking methodology page.
Not quite ready to work on your doctorate? Check out our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our analysis found Northwestern University to be the best grad school for doctorate degrees in the Great Lakes Region in this year’s ranking. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 1,028 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Northwestern make an average of $93,954 a year.
Out of the 107 doctorate degree schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 755 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from UChicago make an average of $96,200 per year during the early years of their career.
The excellent doctorate degree programs at University of Notre Dame helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 422 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Notre Dame make an average of $78,016 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 in the Great Lakes Region on this year’s best doctorate degree schools ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 1,034 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Purdue is $73,682 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 107 doctorate degree schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 1,562 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from U-M is $91,977 during the early years of their career.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Champaign, Illinois, the large public school handed out 991 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from UIUC make an average of $75,425 a year.
With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate degrees to 1,462 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $70,263 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #8, Case Western Reserve University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Case Western Reserve University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Cleveland, Ohio that handed out 674 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Case Western make an average of $74,781 per year during the early years of their career.
Michigan State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, the large public school handed out 1,402 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Michigan State make an average of $62,542 a year.
Concordia University, Chicago did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. Concordia University, Chicago is located in River Forest, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 137 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $111,823 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #11, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large public school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 1,723 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Ohio State go into careers with an average salary of $76,057 during the early years of their career.
Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #12 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. IU Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 731 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from IU Bloomington make an average of $62,651 per year during the early years of their career.
Union Institute & University landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Union is $66,495 during the early years of their career.
Michigan Technological University landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Houghton, Michigan, the medium-sized public school awarded 84 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #15 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UIC is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 1,425 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $77,729 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #16, National Louis University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. National Louis University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 139 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from NLU is $116,556 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #17, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Oxford, Ohio, the fairly large public school handed out 69 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the large public school handed out 787 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from UC go into careers with an average salary of $64,791 during the early years of their career.
Olivet Nazarene University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Olivet Nazarene make an average of $72,457 per year during the early years of their career.
Otterbein University landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Otterbein is located in Westerville, Ohio and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Loyola University Chicago came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large private not-for-profit school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 521 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Loyola Chicago go into careers with an average salary of $75,193 during the early years of their career.
Wheaton College Illinois landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 19 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $62,633 during the early years of their career.
Ball State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ball State is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 68 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
University of St Francis landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Joliet, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 34 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from University of Saint Francis go into careers with an average salary of $107,873 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #25, Carroll University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Carroll U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Waukesha, Wisconsin. It awarded 79 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Carroll U go into careers with an average salary of $69,728 during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.