2026 Best Value Architectural Technology/Technician Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Architectural Technology/Technician](/majors/architecture-and-related-services/architectural-sciences-and-technology/architectural-technology-technician/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for architectural technology/technician students.
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2026 Best Value Architectural Technology/Technician Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in architectural technology/technician, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Architectural Technology/Technician Schools
Leading the list is City Colleges Of Chicago Harold Washington College, our #1 best value for architectural technology/technician in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Chicago, City Colleges Of Chicago Harold Washington College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,590 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,150. Architectural Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $11,533 in student loans. Soon after graduation, architectural technology/technician degree recipients from City Colleges Of Chicago Harold Washington College generally make around $33,960. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Grand Rapids Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in architectural technology/technician, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,179, while out-of-state students pay about $12,219. Architectural Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $11,780 in student loans. Architectural Technology/technician graduates of Grand Rapids Community College earn a median of $41,689 early in their careers. Set against $11,780 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
