2026 Best Value Carpentry/Carpenter Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Carpentry/Carpenter](/majors/construction-trades/carpenters/carpentry-carpenter/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 29 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value carpentry/carpenter schools.
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2026 Best Value Carpentry/Carpenter Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the carpentry/carpenter degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Carpentry/Carpenter Schools
Leading the list is City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College, our #1 best value for carpentry/carpenter in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of Chicago, City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,590 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,150. Typical student debt for carpentry/carpenter graduates is $13,175. Carpentry/carpenter graduates of City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College earn a median of $17,697 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ivy Tech Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in carpentry/carpenter, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,154, compared with $9,935 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for carpentry/carpenter graduates is $9,125. Early-career carpentry/carpenter graduates make about $51,104. That is a strong return on a $9,125 median debt.
Kaskaskia College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in carpentry/carpenter, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Centralia, Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,800, compared with $12,570 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for carpentry/carpenter graduates is $7,875. Early-career carpentry/carpenter graduates make about $45,658. Set against $7,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College earned it the #4 place for carpentry/carpenter. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Rice Lake. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,926, while out-of-state students pay about $7,169. Carpentry/carpenter graduates carry a median of $11,384 in student loans. Carpentry/carpenter graduates of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College earn a median of $35,981 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,384 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Waukesha County Technical College earned it the #5 place for carpentry/carpenter. Located in the suburb of Pewaukee, Waukesha County Technical College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,803, with out-of-state students paying around $7,046. Typical student debt for carpentry/carpenter graduates is $16,595. Carpentry/carpenter graduates of Waukesha County Technical College earn a median of $46,398 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,595 median debt.
Milwaukee Area Technical College earned the #6 position for value in carpentry/carpenter this year. Located in the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,184, with out-of-state students paying around $7,427. Typical student debt for carpentry/carpenter graduates is $18,296. Soon after graduation, carpentry/carpenter degree recipients from Milwaukee Area Technical College generally make around $38,325. Set against $18,296 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College earned the #7 position for value in carpentry/carpenter this year. Set in the rural area of Fennimore, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,904, compared with $7,147 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for carpentry/carpenter graduates is $12,112. Early-career carpentry/carpenter graduates make about $42,087. That is a strong return on a $12,112 median debt.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value carpentry/carpenter schools. Located in the city of Green Bay, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,960, while out-of-state students pay about $7,203. Students borrow a median of $14,997 to complete the carpentry/carpenter program here. Soon after graduation, carpentry/carpenter degree recipients from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College generally make around $42,016. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fox Valley Technical College placed #9 among the best values for carpentry/carpenter. Fox Valley Technical College is a large public school located in the suburb of Appleton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,040, while out-of-state students pay about $7,283. Typical student debt for carpentry/carpenter graduates is $13,319. Soon after graduation, carpentry/carpenter degree recipients from Fox Valley Technical College generally make around $44,020. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Madison Area Technical College ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value carpentry/carpenter schools. Madison Area Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Madison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,977, while out-of-state students pay about $7,141. Carpentry/carpenter graduates carry a median of $16,812 in student loans. Soon after graduation, carpentry/carpenter degree recipients from Madison Area Technical College generally make around $44,279. That is a strong return on a $16,812 median debt.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 29 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.
