2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the value degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Value Schools
For return on investment in value, no school beat Ohio University Main Campus this year. Located in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,158, compared with $24,838 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,546 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $63,869. Set against $24,546 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Michigan State University earned it the #2 place for value. Michigan State University is a very large public school located in the city of East Lansing. Students from in state pay about $18,079 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $44,850. Students borrow a median of $25,213 to complete the value program here. Value graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $62,864 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,213 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Marian University Indiana earned it the #3 place for value. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Marian University Indiana is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,664. Students borrow a median of $28,633 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $63,528. Set against $28,633 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Marian University Indiana admits about 96% of applicants.
Narrow Value Schools by State
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
[Value](/majors/health-care-professions/medicine/osteopathic-medicine-osteopathy/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong value education at a price that pays off.
