2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
We analyzed 310 colleges and universities across the Great Lakes Region to determine which were the best for veterans and active service members. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, number of GI Bill® recipients at the school, and overall quality - to make this determination.
Get more details on our ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
One Size Does Not Fit All
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as online students or returnings adults.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Top Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Our analysis found University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to be the best school for veterans in the Great Lakes Region in this year’s ranking. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14,582 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 52,679 students enrolled at UIUC, 500 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 247 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,702. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. UIUC did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Out of the 310 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Stout landed the #2 spot on the list. UW - Stout is a medium-sized public school situated in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It awarded 1,906 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, UW - Stout supports 7,970 students, and 294 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 154 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,676. UW - Stout does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. UW - Stout excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #3 in the Great Lakes Region on this year’s best for vets ranking. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 13,342 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 554 of the 44,640 students enrolled at UW - Madison were GI Bill® students, of which 346 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,489. During this same period, 21 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - Madison also is in the top 5% of our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It ranked #4 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the large public school handed out 7,995 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 33,518 students enrolled at UIC, 489 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 272 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,722. UIC does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. UIC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region list means Indiana University - Bloomington is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 11,274 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 626 of the 43,064 students enrolled at IU Bloomington were GI Bill® students, of which 389 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,606. In addition to receiving other benefits, 23 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. IU Bloomington does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. IU Bloomington excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 5% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #6 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Columbus, Ohio, the large public school awarded 16,911 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Among the 61,369 students enrolled at Ohio State, 1,851 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1,158 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,438. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Ohio State also did well on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the large public school awarded 15,032 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, U-M supports 47,907 students, and 509 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 321 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $26,841. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. U-M also made our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list, coming in at #4.
Illinois State University landed the #8 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Normal, Illinois, the large public school handed out 5,799 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 20,720 students enrolled at Illinois State, 560 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 218 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,872. Illinois State does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Illinois State also is in the top 10% of our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Union Institute & University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Union is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 435 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, Union supports 809 students, and 35 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 28 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $11,826. In addition to receiving other benefits, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. In addition to its great veterans ranking, Union is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #10 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 3,111 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 365 of the 11,989 students enrolled at UW - Whitewater were GI Bill® students, of which 207 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,867. During this same period, 8 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
In addition to its great veterans ranking, UW - Whitewater is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,683 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Among the 8,954 students enrolled at UW - Green Bay, 343 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 191 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,094. In addition to receiving other benefits, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
UW - Green Bay also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UC is a large public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 10,085 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 40,826 students enrolled at UC, 984 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 559 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,066. During this same period, 18 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. In addition to its great veterans ranking, UC is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Lewis University landed the #13 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Lewis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Romeoville, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,791 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Lewis supports 6,437 students, and 277 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 239 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $11,834. During this same period, 51 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Lewis does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Lewis also claimed a spot on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 2,160 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 8,302 students enrolled at UW - Stevens Point, 304 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 139 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,096. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
In addition to its great veterans ranking, UW - Stevens Point is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Ashland University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ashland University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Ashland, Ohio that handed out 1,759 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 120 of the 4,447 students enrolled at Ashland were GI Bill® students, of which 84 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,529. On top of their other funding sources, 1 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Ashland does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Cleveland State University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, the fairly large public school awarded 3,943 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Cleveland State University supports 15,247 students, and 454 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 252 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,719.
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. WIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 2,287 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 7,490 students enrolled at WIU, 389 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 117 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,241. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
DePaul University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 6,096 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, DePaul supports 21,922 students, and 553 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 423 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,543. To help with additional expenses, 165 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, DePaul also did well on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 11,340 students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 761 of the 46,655 students enrolled at Purdue were GI Bill® students, of which 556 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,363. On top of their other funding sources, 32 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Purdue also did well on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #20, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large public school is located in Bowling Green, Ohio, and it awarded 4,258 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 18,142 students enrolled at BGSU, 560 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 319 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,774. BGSU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Miami University - Oxford came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Miami University - Oxford is located in Oxford, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6,104 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, Miami University - Oxford supports 18,880 students, and 455 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 290 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,286. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Miami University - Oxford does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, Miami University - Oxford is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
National Louis University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,830 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 7,402 students enrolled at NLU, 96 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 66 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,500. On top of their other funding sources, 2 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Edgewood College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 533 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Edgewood supports 2,007 students, and 72 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 52 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,176. To help with additional expenses, 16 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #24 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UIS is located in Springfield, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,155 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.
According to our most recent data, UIS supports 4,146 students, and 241 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 140 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,675. UIS does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Eastern Illinois University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Charleston, Illinois, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,777 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 8,626 students enrolled at EIU, 187 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 68 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,273. EIU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Rest of the Best 47 Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Not only did these schools make the top 47 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
View Best Colleges for Veterans Nationwide >
All Majors and Fields of Study >
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges for Veterans ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI |
| 49 | Wright State University - Main Campus | Dayton, OH |
| 50 | Ohio University - Athens Campus | Athens, OH |
| 51 | Oakland University | Rochester Hills, MI |
| 52 | Fox Valley Technical College | Appleton, WI |
| 53 | University of Wisconsin - River Falls | River Falls, WI |
| 54 | Illinois Institute of Technology | Chicago, IL |
| 55 | University of Wisconsin - Superior | Superior, WI |
| 56 | University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh | Oshkosh, WI |
| 57 | Southwest Wisconsin Technical College | Fennimore, WI |
| 58 | University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI |
| 59 | Northcentral Technical College | Wausau, WI |
| 60 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
| 61 | University of Southern Indiana | Evansville, IN |
| 62 | Governors State University | University Park, IL |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | Indiana State University | Terre Haute, IN |
More Great Lakes Rankings
Narrow Colleges by State
Explore the best schools for a specific state in the Great Lakes region.
| State |
|---|
| Wisconsin |
| Ohio |
| Michigan |
| Indiana |
| Illinois |
Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
- Removed schools reflect instances of new data identified post-publication that warrant removal of a school from this year’s ranking.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© College Factual – All Rights Reserved.