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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Early Childhood Education in the Great Lakes Region

173 Ranked Colleges
4,486 Degrees Awarded
$24,500 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 32,920 people earned their degree in early childhood education, making the major the 34th most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 4,486 early childhood education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 173 colleges that offered a degree in early childhood education. That schools that top this list have a program in early childhood education in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Early Childhood Education Schools

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region child development students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Early Childhood Education in the Great Lakes Region

1
The Erikson Institute crest
Erikson Institute
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 173 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Erikson Institute landed the #1 spot on the list. Erikson Institute is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 70 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at The Erikson Institute

2
St. Augustine College crest
Saint Augustine College
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Augustine College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region. Saint Augustine College is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 60 ’s child development degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at St. Augustine College

3
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Rochester University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rochester University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and it awarded 67 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Rochester University

4
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Bay Mills Community College
Brimley, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Bay Mills Community College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region. Brimley, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s child development degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Bay Mills Community College

5
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National Louis University
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend National Louis University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s child development degrees to 315 students in 2020-2021.

Full National Louis University Early Childhood Education Report

6
Davis College crest
Davis College
Toledo, Ohio

With a ranking of #6, Davis College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Davis College is a small private for-profit school situated in Toledo, Ohio. It awarded 3 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Davis College

7

With a ranking of #7, Athena Career Academy did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Athena Career Academy is a small private for-profit school situated in Toledo, Ohio. It awarded 13 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Athena Career Academy

8

Gods Bible School and College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Gods Bible School and College is a small school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 3 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Gods Bible School and College

9
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Notre Dame College
Cleveland, Ohio

Notre Dame College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. NDC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 17 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at NDC

10

Mount Vernon Nazarene University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Mount Vernon, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at MVNU

11
Muskingum crest
Muskingum University
New Concord, Ohio

With a ranking of #11, Muskingum University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in New Concord, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 23 degrees to qualified ’s child development students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Muskingum

12
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Bluffton University
Bluffton, Ohio

With a ranking of #12, Bluffton University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Bluffton, Ohio, and it awarded 10 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Bluffton University

13
Cedarville crest
Cedarville University
Cedarville, Ohio

Cedarville University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Cedarville is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cedarville, Ohio. It awarded 41 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Cedarville

14

University of Mount Union did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #14. Alliance, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s child development degrees to 24 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at University of Mount Union

15
Central State University crest
Central State University
Wilberforce, Ohio

Central State University ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Central State University is located in Wilberforce, Ohio and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s child development degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Central State University

16
Martin University crest
Martin University
Indianapolis, Indiana

Martin University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Martin University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Indianapolis, Indiana. It awarded 3 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Martin University Early Childhood Education Report

17

Mount St. Joseph University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Mount St. Joe is a small school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 22 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Mount St. Joe

17
Defiance College crest
Defiance College
Defiance, Ohio

Defiance College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Defiance, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s child development degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Defiance College

19
Capital crest
Capital University
Columbus, Ohio

Capital University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. Capital is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 30 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Capital University

20

Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. KBOCC is a small school located in Baraga, Michigan that handed out 1 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at KBOCC

21

Rasmussen University - Illinois did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. Rockford, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out ’s child development degrees to 117 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Early Childhood Education at Rasmussen University - Illinois

22
LEC crest
Lake Erie College
Painesville, Ohio

Lake Erie College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Lake Erie College is a small school located in Painesville, Ohio that handed out 9 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Full LEC Early Childhood Education Report

23
Marian crest
Marian University
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin

Marian University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Marian University is a small school located in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin that handed out 13 ’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Marian University

24
Walsh crest
Walsh University
North Canton, Ohio

Walsh University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Walsh University is located in North Canton, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s child development degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Early Childhood Education at Walsh

25
American College of Education crest
American College of Education
Indianapolis, Indiana

American College of Education did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. American College of Education is a private for-profit institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 140 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full American College of Education Early Childhood Education Report

Rest of the Best 26 in Schools Highly Focused on Child development Major in the Great Lakes Region

Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
WLC crest
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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