2027 Best Value Medicine Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Medicine](/majors/health-care-professions/medicine/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 21 schools to find the best return on investment for medicine students.
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2027 Best Value Medicine Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in medicine, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Medicine Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Chicago the best value for a degree in medicine in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a very large public school located in the city of Chicago. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,949, compared with $32,009 for out-of-state students. Medicine graduates carry a median of $20,115 in student loans. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Chicago generally make around $65,807. That is a strong return on a $20,115 median debt. University Of Illinois At Chicago admits about 77% of applicants.
Oakland University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in medicine, landing the #2 spot this year. Oakland University is a large public school located in the suburb of Rochester Hills. Students from in state pay about $17,167 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,735. Medicine graduates carry a median of $25,972 in student loans. Medicine graduates of Oakland University earn a median of $54,785 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earned it the #3 place for medicine. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,762, compared with $34,891 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,146 to complete the medicine program here. Early-career medicine graduates make about $64,247. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Michigan Ann Arbor one of the best values for medicine. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $19,137. Medicine graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $70,693 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 16%.
Wayne State University came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value medicine schools. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,159, with out-of-state students paying around $34,650. Medicine graduates carry a median of $26,689 in student loans. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from Wayne State University generally make around $63,587. That is a strong return on a $26,689 median debt. The acceptance rate is 81%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign landed the #6 spot for medicine value this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,267 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Medicine graduates carry a median of $20,778 in student loans. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $57,461. That is a strong return on a $20,778 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
University Of Chicago ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value medicine schools. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,324. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $15,854. Medicine graduates of University Of Chicago earn a median of $70,564 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,854 median debt. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale earned the #8 position for value in medicine this year. Located in the town of Carbondale, Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,334. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $23,730. Early-career medicine graduates make about $63,528. That is a strong return on a $23,730 median debt. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Wright State University Main Campus earned the #9 position for value in medicine this year. Wright State University Main Campus is a large public school located in the suburb of Dayton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,991, while out-of-state students pay about $20,691. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $25,836. Early-career medicine graduates make about $64,945. Set against $25,836 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
Ohio State University Main Campus ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value medicine schools. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,244, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. Students borrow a median of $22,053 to complete the medicine program here. Medicine graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of $64,952 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,053 median debt. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Madison earned the #11 position for value in medicine this year. Located in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $21,813. Medicine graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of $66,876 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,813 median debt. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Toledo earned the #12 position for value in medicine this year. Set in the city of Toledo, University Of Toledo is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,157, while out-of-state students pay about $21,517. Medicine graduates carry a median of $24,923 in student loans. Early-career medicine graduates make about $63,975. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Toledo admits about 92% of applicants.
Michigan State University came in at #13 for value in medicine this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $18,079 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $44,850. Students borrow a median of $25,213 to complete the medicine program here. Medicine graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $62,864 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Michigan State University admits about 85% of applicants.
Central Michigan University landed the #14 spot for medicine value this year. Set in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,480. Medicine graduates carry a median of $27,857 in student loans. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from Central Michigan University generally make around $63,654. That is a strong return on a $27,857 median debt. Central Michigan University admits about 90% of applicants.
Ohio University Main Campus placed #15 among the best values for medicine. Set in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,158, compared with $24,838 for out-of-state students. Medicine graduates carry a median of $24,546 in student loans. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from Ohio University Main Campus generally make around $63,869. That is a strong return on a $24,546 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Kent State University At Kent earned the #16 position for value in medicine this year. Set in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,220, while out-of-state students pay about $21,575. Students borrow a median of $25,174 to complete the medicine program here. Medicine graduates of Kent State University At Kent earn a median of $61,632 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,174 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Marian University Indiana landed the #17 spot for medicine value this year. Marian University Indiana is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Indianapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $40,664. Medicine graduates carry a median of $28,633 in student loans. Medicine graduates of Marian University Indiana earn a median of $63,528 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus ranked #18 on our 2027 list of the best value medicine schools. Located in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,363, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Students borrow a median of $23,530 to complete the medicine program here. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from University Of Cincinnati Main Campus generally make around $65,906. Set against $23,530 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Northwestern University came in at #19 for value in medicine this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Medicine graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Medicine graduates of Northwestern University earn a median of $70,039 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
Loyola University Chicago earned the #20 position for value in medicine this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $53,710. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $23,521. Medicine graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $66,669 early in their careers. Set against $23,521 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Case Western Reserve University placed #21 among the best values for medicine. Located in the city of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $66,608. Typical student debt for medicine graduates is $25,106. Soon after graduation, medicine degree recipients from Case Western Reserve University generally make around $66,273. That is a strong return on a $25,106 median debt. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 21 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 21 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.
