2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Value](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/veterinary-biomedical-and-clinical-sciences/veterinary-sciences-veterinary-clinical-sciences-general/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
2026 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
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earned the #1 spot for value among value schools in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public school located in the city of Champaign. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Typical student debt for value graduates is $20,778. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $57,461. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value value schools. Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Rockford. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,699. Value graduates carry a median of $21,335 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Stautzenberger College Rockford Career College generally make around $30,855. That is a strong return on a $21,335 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Stautzenberger College Maumee earned it the #3 place for value. Located in the suburb of Maumee, Stautzenberger College Maumee is a small private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $16,699. Value graduates carry a median of $21,335 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $30,855. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Stautzenberger College Brecksville is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Brecksville, Stautzenberger College Brecksville is a small private for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $16,699. Typical student debt for value graduates is $21,335. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Stautzenberger College Brecksville generally make around $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), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 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.
