2027 Best Value Plumbing & Water Supply Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Plumbing & Water Supply](/majors/construction-trades/plumbing-and-water-supply/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong plumbing & water supply education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value plumbing & water supply schools.
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2027 Best Value Plumbing & Water Supply Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the plumbing & water supply degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Plumbing & Water Supply Schools
Macomb Community College earned the #1 spot for value among plumbing & water supply schools in the Great Lakes Region. Macomb Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Warren. Students from in state pay about $3,660 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,370. Students borrow a median of $9,862 to complete the plumbing & water supply program here. Early-career plumbing & water supply graduates make about $38,758. That is a strong return on a $9,862 median debt.
Washtenaw Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in plumbing & water supply, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,736 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,504. Plumbing & Water Supply graduates carry a median of $17,616 in student loans. Soon after graduation, plumbing & water supply degree recipients from Washtenaw Community College generally make around $45,332. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ivy Tech Community College earned it the #3 place for plumbing & water supply. 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 plumbing & water supply graduates is $7,427. Soon after graduation, plumbing & water supply degree recipients from Ivy Tech Community College generally make around $82,191. Set against $7,427 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value plumbing & water supply schools. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Rice Lake. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,926, compared with $7,169 for out-of-state students. Plumbing & Water Supply graduates carry a median of $11,384 in student loans. Plumbing & Water Supply 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.
A rank of #5 makes Columbus State Community College one of the best values for plumbing & water supply. Columbus State Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Columbus. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,488, while out-of-state students pay about $11,224. Typical student debt for plumbing & water supply graduates is $9,041. Graduates go on to earn a median of $39,435 ten years after entry. That is a strong return on a $9,041 median debt.
Milwaukee Area Technical College placed #6 among the best values for plumbing & water supply. Milwaukee Area Technical College is a very large public school located in the city of Milwaukee. In-state tuition and fees average $5,184, while out-of-state students pay about $7,427. Plumbing & Water Supply graduates carry a median of $18,296 in student loans. Soon after graduation, plumbing & water supply degree recipients from Milwaukee Area Technical College generally make around $38,325. That is a strong return on a $18,296 median debt.
City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value plumbing & water supply schools. Located in the city of Chicago, City Colleges Of Chicago Kennedy King College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,590, while out-of-state students pay about $15,150. Students borrow a median of $6,726 to complete the plumbing & water supply program here. Early-career plumbing & water supply graduates make about $82,055. That is a strong return on a $6,726 median debt.
Northcentral Technical College placed #8 among the best values for plumbing & water supply. Located in the city of Wausau, Northcentral Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,889, with out-of-state students paying around $7,132. Typical student debt for plumbing & water supply graduates is $11,709. Early-career plumbing & water supply graduates make about $41,696. That is a strong return on a $11,709 median debt.
Mid State Technical College earned the #9 position for value in plumbing & water supply this year. Located in the town of Wisconsin Rapids, Mid State Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,002, while out-of-state students pay about $7,171. Plumbing & Water Supply graduates carry a median of $11,626 in student loans. Soon after graduation, plumbing & water supply degree recipients from Mid State Technical College generally make around $41,678. Set against $11,626 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Waukesha County Technical College placed #10 among the best values for plumbing & water supply. Located in the suburb of Pewaukee, Waukesha County Technical College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,803, while out-of-state students pay about $7,046. Typical student debt for plumbing & water supply graduates is $16,595. Soon after graduation, plumbing & water supply degree recipients from Waukesha County Technical College generally make around $46,398. That is a strong return on a $16,595 median debt.
Fox Valley Technical College landed the #11 spot for plumbing & water supply value this year. Located in the suburb of Appleton, Fox Valley Technical College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,040 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,283 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,319 to complete the plumbing & water supply program here. Early-career plumbing & water supply graduates make about $79,589. Set against $13,319 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), 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.