2027 Best Value Technology Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Technology Education](/majors/education/teacher-education-and-development/technology-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong technology education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for technology education students.
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2027 Best Value Technology Education Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in technology education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Technology Education Schools
Indiana State University earned the #1 spot for value among technology education schools in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Terre Haute, Indiana State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,258, while out-of-state students pay about $22,322. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the technology education program here. Technology Education graduates of Indiana State University earn a median of $53,952 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Indiana State University admits about 81% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Purdue University Main Campus one of the best values for technology education. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,992, compared with $28,794 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the technology education program here. Soon after graduation, technology education degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $44,923. Set against $19,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
Northern Michigan University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value technology education schools. Set in the town of Marquette, Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,322, while out-of-state students pay about $19,944. Typical student debt for technology education graduates is $27,000. Technology Education graduates of Northern Michigan University earn a median of $40,508 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northern Michigan University admits about 84% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh one of the best values for technology education. University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh is a large public school located in the city of Oshkosh. In-state tuition and fees average $8,532, while out-of-state students pay about $16,446. Students borrow a median of $28,500 to complete the technology education program here. Technology Education graduates of University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh earn a median of $50,590 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,500 median debt. University Of Wisconsin Oshkosh admits about 86% of applicants.
Ball State University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value technology education schools. Ball State University is a very large public school located in the city of Muncie. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,082, compared with $29,630 for out-of-state students. Technology Education graduates carry a median of $24,998 in student loans. Technology Education graduates of Ball State University earn a median of $49,745 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ball State University admits about 86% of applicants.
Western Michigan University landed the #6 spot for technology education value this year. Western Michigan University is a large public school located in the city of Kalamazoo. Students from in state pay about $15,987 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Technology Education graduates carry a median of $29,000 in student loans. Early-career technology education graduates make about $48,382. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Michigan University admits about 85% of applicants.
Eastern Michigan University landed the #7 spot for technology education value this year. Set in the suburb of Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $16,990 in tuition and fees. Technology Education graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Early-career technology education graduates make about $47,887. That is a strong return on a $31,000 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Wisconsin Platteville landed the #8 spot for technology education value this year. University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Platteville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,644, while out-of-state students pay about $17,603. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the technology education program here. Early-career technology education graduates make about $46,069. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
University Of Wisconsin Stout landed the #9 spot for technology education value this year. Located in the town of Menomonie, University Of Wisconsin Stout is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,701, while out-of-state students pay about $19,265. Typical student debt for technology education graduates is $24,500. Soon after graduation, technology education degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Stout generally make around $64,700. That is a strong return on a $24,500 median debt. University Of Wisconsin Stout admits about 88% of applicants.
Illinois State University ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value technology education schools. Illinois State University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Normal. In-state tuition and fees average $14,410, while out-of-state students pay about $26,058. Technology Education graduates carry a median of $24,149 in student loans. Early-career technology education graduates make about $50,102. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Viterbo University came in at #11 for value in technology education this year. Set in the city of La Crosse, Viterbo University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $34,250. Typical student debt for technology education graduates is $29,107. Early-career technology education graduates make about $60,309. That is a strong return on a $29,107 median debt. Viterbo University admits about 72% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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.
