2027 Best Value Legal Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Legal Studies](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/general-legal-studies/legal-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value legal studies schools.
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2027 Best Value Legal Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in legal studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Legal Studies Schools
Leading the list is University Of Illinois At Springfield, our #1 best value for legal studies in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Springfield, University Of Illinois At Springfield is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,557, with out-of-state students paying around $20,139. Typical student debt for legal studies graduates is $24,925. Legal Studies graduates of University Of Illinois At Springfield earn a median of $53,344 early in their careers. Set against $24,925 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Springfield admits about 86% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Ivy Tech Community College earned it the #2 place for legal studies. Set in the city of Indianapolis, Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,154, with out-of-state students paying around $9,935. Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $22,831 in student loans. Early-career legal studies graduates make about $40,734. Set against $22,831 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Henry Ford Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in legal studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Dearborn, Henry Ford Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,568, compared with $7,816 for out-of-state students. Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $18,876 in student loans. Legal Studies graduates of Henry Ford Community College earn a median of $36,247 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Wisconsin Superior came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value legal studies schools. University Of Wisconsin Superior is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Superior. Students from in state pay about $8,812 in tuition and fees, compared with $16,726 for out-of-state students. Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $27,845 in student loans. Early-career legal studies graduates make about $45,219. Set against $27,845 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wisconsin Superior admits about 93% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in legal studies will find it at Wayne State University, which ranked #5. Wayne State University is a very large public school located in the city of Detroit. In-state tuition and fees average $16,159, while out-of-state students pay about $34,650. Typical student debt for legal studies graduates is $26,689. Soon after graduation, legal studies degree recipients from Wayne State University generally make around $55,469. Set against $26,689 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wayne State University admits about 81% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Madison ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value legal studies schools. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,603, with out-of-state students paying around $42,103. Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $20,980 in student loans. Soon after graduation, legal studies degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $41,144. That is a strong return on a $20,980 median debt. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
Michigan State University earned the #7 position for value in legal studies this year. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,753 to complete the legal studies program here. Legal Studies graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $54,166 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,753 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio University Main Campus came in at #8 for value in legal studies 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, with out-of-state students paying around $24,838. Typical student debt for legal studies graduates is $24,546. Early-career legal studies graduates make about $49,736. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value legal studies schools. Located in the city of Cincinnati, University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $13,363 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,697. Legal Studies graduates carry a median of $23,530 in student loans. Early-career legal studies graduates make about $58,659. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.