2026 Best Value Learning Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Learning Sciences](/majors/education/educational-assessment/learning-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value learning sciences schools.
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2026 Best Value Learning Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the learning sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Learning Sciences Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Chicago the best value for a degree in learning sciences in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,949 in tuition and fees, compared with $32,009 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for learning sciences graduates is $20,115. Early-career learning sciences graduates make about $61,829. Set against $20,115 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Bloomington earned it the #2 place for learning sciences. Located in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,144 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,891. Students borrow a median of $20,542 to complete the learning sciences program here. Soon after graduation, learning sciences degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington generally make around $52,123. Set against $20,542 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
A rank of #3 makes Ohio State University Main Campus one of the best values for learning sciences. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,244, compared with $40,022 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for learning sciences graduates is $22,053. Early-career learning sciences graduates make about $58,088. Set against $22,053 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Northwestern University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value learning sciences schools. Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Evanston. In-state tuition and fees average $68,322. Learning Sciences graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Early-career learning sciences graduates make about $78,551. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 8%.
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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 · 11 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.
