2027 Best Value Value Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Value](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/veterinary-biomedical-and-clinical-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Value Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
For return on investment in value, no school beat University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Value graduates carry a median of $20,778 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $57,461. That is a strong return on a $20,778 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Purdue University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for value. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Students borrow a median of $19,844 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $63,111 early in their careers. Set against $19,844 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
Ohio State University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,244, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. Typical student debt for value graduates is $22,053. Early-career value graduates make about $58,088. That is a strong return on a $22,053 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College one of the best values for value. Set in the city of Rockford, Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College is a small private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,699. Students borrow a median of $21,335 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College earn a median of $30,855 early in their careers. Set against $21,335 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Stautzenberger College Maumee one of the best values for value. Set in the suburb of Maumee, Stautzenberger College Maumee is a small private for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $16,699 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for value graduates is $21,335. Early-career value graduates make about $30,855. Set against $21,335 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
