by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a grad 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 Master's Degree Colleges in the Great Lakes Region ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Jump to Any of the Following Sections: * Our Methodology
Our analysis looked at 168 grad schools in the Great Lakes Region to determine which ones have the best master's 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 master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. A master's degree holder from a school in the Great Lakes Region makes an average starting salary of $58,892, but the students who attended schools in the top 25 of our list make an average of $66,857.
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that graduate students take on while they are working on their master's degree. The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
Our Best Master's 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.
Thinking about continuing your education further? Check out our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our analysis found University of Chicago to be the best grad school for master’s degrees in the Great Lakes Region in this year’s ranking. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 3,326 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from UChicago is $73,139 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, the large private not-for-profit school awarded 5,216 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Northwestern make an average of $80,937 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Notre Dame. The school came in at #3 in the Great Lakes Region on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 1,161 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Notre Dame make an average of $60,478 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4,812 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $64,936 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #5 on our Best Master’s Degree in the Great Lakes Region list means University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a great place for students working on their degree. This large public school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 4,916 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from U-M is $73,861 during the early years of their career.
Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2,255 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Purdue make an average of $81,411 a year.
University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #7 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the large public school handed out 2,565 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UW - Madison go into careers with an average salary of $64,365 during the early years of their career.
Case Western Reserve University landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 1,598 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Case Western is $69,677 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #9, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 2,641 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from IU Bloomington make an average of $55,377 a year.
Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 2,828 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $69,776 during the early years of their career.
Loyola University Chicago ranked #11 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,245 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Loyola Chicago make an average of $57,705 per year during the early years of their career.
Marquette University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Marquette is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 764 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Marquette go into careers with an average salary of $66,639 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #13, Ball State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Muncie, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 2,364 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Ball State make an average of $53,069 a year.
Saint Mary’s College did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $59,752 during the early years of their career.
Michigan State University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. Michigan State is located in East Lansing, Michigan and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,227 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Michigan State go into careers with an average salary of $60,340 during the early years of their career.
Mount Mary University landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Mount Mary is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 177 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Mount Mary make an average of $50,581 a year.
Concordia University, Chicago ranked #17 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in River Forest, Illinois, and it awarded 1,377 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Concordia University, Chicago go into careers with an average salary of $53,140 during the early years of their career.
Michigan Technological University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This medium-sized public school is located in Houghton, Michigan, and it awarded 424 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Michigan Tech make an average of $76,193 a year.
DePaul University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This large private not-for-profit school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 2,751 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from DePaul is $60,953 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #20, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, the large public school awarded 3,108 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from UC make an average of $57,384 a year.
Miami University - Oxford came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Miami University - Oxford is located in Oxford, Ohio and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 881 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Miami University - Oxford is $51,970 during the early years of their career.
Kettering University landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Kettering is a private not-for-profit institution located in Flint, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 202 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Kettering is $105,277 during the early years of their career.
Butler University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Butler University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 250 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Butler is $77,997 during the early years of their career.
University of Dayton landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Dayton, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 1,034 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UDayton go into careers with an average salary of $64,665 during the early years of their career.
Illinois Institute of Technology landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Illinois Tech is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 1,110 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Illinois Tech make an average of $81,811 a year.
Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
View Best Master’s Degree Schools Nationwide >
These schools also performed well in our Best Master’s Degree Schools ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Wheaton College Illinois | Wheaton, IL |
| 28 | Aurora University | Aurora, IL |
| 29 | National Louis University | Chicago, IL |
| 30 | Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis | Indianapolis, IN |
| 31 | Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global | Marion, IN |
| 32 | Ohio University - Athens Campus | Athens, OH |
| 33 | University of Wisconsin - La Crosse | La Crosse, WI |
| 34 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL |
More about our data sources and methodologies.