2027 Best Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Best programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 26 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for best students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Best in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall best education in the Great Lakes Region.
Top Schools in Best
Leading the list is Purdue University Main Campus, our #1 school for best. This very large public university is located in the city of West Lafayette. About 83% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 89 best students who graduated with this degree at Purdue University Main Campus in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $43,747. Students borrow a median of $17,098 to complete this degree.
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A rank of #2 makes Michigan State University one of the top schools for best. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. Michigan State University graduates 81% of students within six years. Michigan State University awarded about 25 best degrees in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $41,400 early in their careers. Michigan State University graduates carry a median of $25,213 in student loans.
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Fox College Inc came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best best schools. Set in the suburb of Tinley Park, Fox College Inc is a small private for-profit institution. There were roughly 79 best students who graduated with this degree at Fox College Inc in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Fox College Inc generally make around $36,853. Fox College Inc graduates carry a median of $14,722 in student loans.
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Columbus State Community College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best best schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Columbus. Columbus State Community College awarded about 51 best degrees in the most recent data year. Students borrow a median of $9,041 to complete this degree.
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Students looking for a strong best program will find one at Macomb Community College, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Warren, Macomb Community College is a very large public institution. About 28 best degrees were awarded at Macomb Community College in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $38,126 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $9,862 to complete this degree.
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Fox Valley Technical College came in at #6 for best this year. Located in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a large public university. There were roughly 15 best students who graduated with this degree at Fox Valley Technical College in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Fox Valley Technical College earn a median of $44,020 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $13,319 to complete this degree.
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Joliet Junior College came in at #7 for best this year. Set in the suburb of Joliet, Joliet Junior College is a very large public institution. Joliet Junior College awarded about 71 best degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Joliet Junior College generally make around $36,988. Joliet Junior College graduates carry a median of $9,562 in student loans.
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Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best best schools. Set in the town of Rice Lake, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. About 32 best degrees were awarded at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their best degree from Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College earn around $35,981 in the first couple years of their career. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College graduates carry a median of $11,384 in student loans.
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Madison Area Technical College placed #9 among the best best schools. This large public university is located in the city of Madison. There were roughly 83 best students who graduated with this degree at Madison Area Technical College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their best degree from Madison Area Technical College earn around $34,698 in the first couple years of their career. Madison Area Technical College graduates carry a median of $16,500 in student loans.
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Parkland College came in at #10 for best this year. Parkland College is a large public school located in the city of Champaign. About 25 best degrees were awarded at Parkland College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Parkland College generally make around $39,246. Typical student debt for the program is $10,168.
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Gateway Technical College placed #11 among the best best schools. Gateway Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Kenosha. About 22 best degrees were awarded at Gateway Technical College in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $37,132 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $14,829 to complete this degree.
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Northcentral Technical College ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best best schools. Northcentral Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Wausau. About 14 best degrees were awarded at Northcentral Technical College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Northcentral Technical College generally make around $41,696. Students borrow a median of $11,709 to complete this degree.
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Sinclair Community College came in at #13 for best this year. Sinclair Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Dayton. Sinclair Community College awarded about 24 best degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Sinclair Community College generally make around $31,456. Typical student debt for the program is $12,525.
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Heartland Community College earned the #14 position for best this year. Heartland Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Normal. There were roughly 20 best students who graduated with this degree at Heartland Community College in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Heartland Community College earn a median of $48,710 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $13,266.
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Cuyahoga Community College District placed #15 among the best best schools. Located in the city of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Community College District is a very large public university. There were roughly 13 best students who graduated with this degree at Cuyahoga Community College District in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Cuyahoga Community College District earn a median of $32,820 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $14,636 to complete this degree.
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University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College placed #16 among the best best schools. This large public university is located in the suburb of Blue Ash. University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College awarded about 35 best degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College generally make around $35,595. University Of Cincinnati Blue Ash College graduates carry a median of $16,545 in student loans.
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Baker College Of Flint landed the #17 spot for best this year. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the town of Owosso. The six-year graduation rate is 30%. Baker College Of Flint awarded about 78 best degrees in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Baker College Of Flint earn a median of $35,142 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $19,603 to complete this degree.
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Kent State University At Tuscarawas came in at #18 for best this year. Kent State University At Tuscarawas is a mid-sized public school located in the town of New Philadelphia. Roughly 4% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 22 best students who graduated with this degree at Kent State University At Tuscarawas in the most recent data year. Students who receive their best degree from Kent State University At Tuscarawas earn around $33,716 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $18,000 to complete this degree.
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Caris College placed #19 among the best best schools. Caris College is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Jeffersonville. Caris College awarded about 24 best degrees in the most recent data year.
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Milwaukee Career College placed #20 among the best best schools. This small private for-profit university is located in the suburb of Milwaukee. There were roughly 53 best students who graduated with this degree at Milwaukee Career College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Milwaukee Career College generally make around $30,488. Milwaukee Career College graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans.
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International Business College Indianapolis earned the #21 position for best this year. Set in the city of Indianapolis, International Business College Indianapolis is a small private for-profit institution. International Business College Indianapolis awarded about 78 best degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from International Business College Indianapolis generally make around $30,508. International Business College Indianapolis graduates carry a median of $13,624 in student loans.
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Ross Medical Education Center Canton ranked #22 on our 2027 list of the best best schools. This small private for-profit university is located in the suburb of Canton. Ross Medical Education Center Canton awarded about 20 best degrees in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Ross Medical Education Center Canton earn a median of $23,488 early in their careers. Ross Medical Education Center Canton graduates carry a median of $7,942 in student loans.
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Stautzenberger College Maumee placed #23 among the best best schools. Stautzenberger College Maumee is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Maumee. There were roughly 17 best students who graduated with this degree at Stautzenberger College Maumee in the most recent data year. Best graduates of Stautzenberger College Maumee earn a median of $31,186 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $21,219 to complete this degree.
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Ross College Canton ranked #24 on our 2027 list of the best best schools. Ross College Canton is a small private for-profit school located in the suburb of Canton. About 39 best degrees were awarded at Ross College Canton in the most recent year. Best graduates of Ross College Canton earn a median of $30,858 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $14,655 to complete this degree.
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Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College came in at #25 for best this year. Set in the city of Rockford, Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College is a small private for-profit institution. Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College awarded about 13 best degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College generally make around $31,807. Typical student debt for the program is $21,356.
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Rest of the Top 26 Best Schools
These schools also placed among the best for best this year:
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 26 schools evaluated.
- 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.
