2027 Best Value Applied Linguistics Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Applied Linguistics](/majors/foreign-languages-linguistics/linguistics-comparative-literature/applied-linguistics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for applied linguistics students.
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2027 Best Value Applied Linguistics Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in applied linguistics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Applied Linguistics Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, our #1 best value for applied linguistics in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the applied linguistics program here. Early-career applied linguistics graduates make about $25,921. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 42%.
University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value applied linguistics schools. University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public school located in the city of Milwaukee. Students from in state pay about $10,398 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,398 for out-of-state students. Applied Linguistics graduates carry a median of $25,479 in student loans. Applied Linguistics graduates of University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee earn a median of $46,561 early in their careers. Set against $25,479 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Wisconsin Madison one of the best values for applied linguistics. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. In-state tuition and fees average $11,603, with out-of-state students paying around $42,103. Applied Linguistics graduates carry a median of $21,813 in student loans. Early-career applied linguistics graduates make about $59,877. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio University Main Campus came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value applied linguistics schools. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. In-state tuition and fees average $14,158, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Students borrow a median of $24,546 to complete the applied linguistics program here. Applied Linguistics graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $49,736 early in their careers. Set against $24,546 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
