Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Education

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

148 Ranked Colleges
19,113 Degrees Awarded
$21,800 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Education Schools for a Master's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Education is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 4th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 310,601 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 43,513 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,643 and $27,857 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 19,113 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 148 colleges that offered a degree in education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the education program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Education in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

#1

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 273 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also took the #4 spot in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Education at Purdue

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 278 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083.

Read more about Education at UIUC

Out of the 148 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Northwest landed the #3 spot on the list. Indiana University - Northwest is a public institution located in Gary, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at IU Northwest are $18,275, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full IU Northwest Education Report

#18 in overall quality

Out of the 148 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #4 spot on the list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 166 students in 2019-2020.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Education at UIC

#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 155 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Education at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#6

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#5 in overall quality

Ball State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Muncie, Indiana, this large public school awarded 1,577 diplomas to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.

Ball State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ball State University are $26,204.

Full Ball State Education Report

Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW - La Crosse is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 51 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - La Crosse are $20,038, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UW - La Crosse Education Report

#8

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#24 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 52 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - River Falls are $18,233, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Wisconsin - River Falls Education Report

#9

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#8 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 156 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338.

Read full report on Education at Indiana University - Bloomington

#10

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UW - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 190 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Whitewater are $19,200, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Education at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

#11

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay are $19,126, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Education at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#12

Indiana University - Southeast

New Albany, Indiana

Indiana University - Southeast did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. This small school is located in New Albany, Indiana, and it awarded 51 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Southeast are $18,275, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Education at Indiana University - Southeast

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Oshkosh, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 133 students in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh are $18,744.

Full University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Education Report

#14

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#6 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. U-M is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 173 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Education at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#15

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Platteville came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a medium-sized school located in Platteville, Wisconsin that handed out 32 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Platteville are $18,226, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Education at UW - Platteville

#16

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois

Governors State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Governors State University is a small public school situated in University Park, Illinois. It awarded 23 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at GSU are $14,674.

Full Governors State University Education Report

#17

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stout ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 98 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Stout are $16,851, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Education at University of Wisconsin - Stout

#18

Indiana University - South Bend

South Bend, Indiana

Indiana University - South Bend came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indiana University - South Bend is a small public school situated in South Bend, Indiana. It awarded 33 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - South Bend are $18,275, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Education at Indiana University - South Bend

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 72 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at IUPUI are $26,013.

Read full report on Education at IUPUI

#20

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. This medium-sized school is located in Hammond, Indiana, and it awarded 41 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue Northwest are $11,633, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Purdue University Northwest Education Report

#21

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois

University of St Francis came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Saint Francis is a small school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 226 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of St Francis are $13,839, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Education at University of St Francis

#22

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.

UW - Eau Claire not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #0 on our “Best Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Eau Claire are $19,430, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Education at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

#23

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UW - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 45 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Stevens Point are $19,178.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Education Report

#24

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a small school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 25 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Springfield are $16,757.

Read full report on Education at UIS

#25

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

With a ranking of #25, Indiana University - East did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Richmond, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - East are $18,275.

Read more about Education at Indiana University - East

Switch to a More Focused Major

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Horadrim.

Featured Schools

Find Schools Near You