2027 Best Value L&scaping & Groundskeeping Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[L&scaping & Groundskeeping](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/horticulture/landscaping-and-groundskeeping/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong l&scaping & groundskeeping education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for l&scaping & groundskeeping students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value L&scaping & Groundskeeping Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in l&scaping & groundskeeping, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value L&scaping & Groundskeeping Schools
Leading the list is Cuyahoga Community College District, our #1 best value for l&scaping & groundskeeping in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College District is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,249, compared with $7,249 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,636 to complete the l&scaping & groundskeeping program here. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates of Cuyahoga Community College District earn a median of $39,394 early in their careers. Set against $14,636 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cincinnati State Technical And Community College earned it the #2 place for l&scaping & groundskeeping. Located in the city of Cincinnati, Cincinnati State Technical And Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,517 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,044 for out-of-state students. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates carry a median of $17,730 in student loans. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates of Cincinnati State Technical And Community College earn a median of $47,975 early in their careers. Set against $17,730 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Kankakee Community College came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value l&scaping & groundskeeping schools. Located in the city of Kankakee, Kankakee Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $5,220 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,830 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,289 to complete the l&scaping & groundskeeping program here. Early-career l&scaping & groundskeeping graduates make about $60,509. Set against $13,289 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Mchenry County College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value l&scaping & groundskeeping schools. Mchenry County College is a large public school located in the rural area of Crystal Lake. Students from in state pay about $4,162 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,399. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates carry a median of $7,440 in student loans. Early-career l&scaping & groundskeeping graduates make about $24,177. That is a strong return on a $7,440 median debt.
Ivy Tech Community College came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value l&scaping & groundskeeping schools. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,154, with out-of-state students paying around $9,935. Students borrow a median of $11,889 to complete the l&scaping & groundskeeping program here. Soon after graduation, l&scaping & groundskeeping degree recipients from Ivy Tech Community College generally make around $40,734. That is a strong return on a $11,889 median debt.
College Of Dupage landed the #6 spot for l&scaping & groundskeeping value this year. Set in the suburb of Glen Ellyn, College Of Dupage is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,560, while out-of-state students pay about $12,750. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates carry a median of $12,492 in student loans. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates of College Of Dupage earn a median of $43,025 early in their careers. Set against $12,492 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Milwaukee Area Technical College ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value l&scaping & groundskeeping schools. Set in the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,184, compared with $7,427 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,296 to complete the l&scaping & groundskeeping program here. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates of Milwaukee Area Technical College earn a median of $38,325 early in their careers. Set against $18,296 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fox Valley Technical College came in at #8 for value in l&scaping & groundskeeping this year. Set in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,040, compared with $7,283 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for l&scaping & groundskeeping graduates is $13,319. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates of Fox Valley Technical College earn a median of $44,020 early in their careers. Set against $13,319 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Gateway Technical College came in at #9 for value in l&scaping & groundskeeping this year. Located in the city of Kenosha, Gateway Technical College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,956, with out-of-state students paying around $7,199. Typical student debt for l&scaping & groundskeeping graduates is $14,829. Early-career l&scaping & groundskeeping graduates make about $42,410. Set against $14,829 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Madison Area Technical College earned the #10 position for value in l&scaping & groundskeeping this year. Madison Area Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Madison. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,977, with out-of-state students paying around $7,141. Typical student debt for l&scaping & groundskeeping graduates is $16,812. Soon after graduation, l&scaping & groundskeeping degree recipients from Madison Area Technical College generally make around $44,279. Set against $16,812 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute placed #11 among the best values for l&scaping & groundskeeping. Set in the town of Wooster, Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute is a small public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,584, while out-of-state students pay about $36,362. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the l&scaping & groundskeeping program here. Soon after graduation, l&scaping & groundskeeping degree recipients from Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute generally make around $34,190. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Michigan State University ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value l&scaping & groundskeeping schools. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Students borrow a median of $13,722 to complete the l&scaping & groundskeeping program here. L&scaping & Groundskeeping graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $42,513 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $13,722 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.