2026 Best Value Value Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Value](/majors/mathematics-and-statistics/applied-statistics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for value students.
What’s on this page:
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
Our analysis ranked University Of Michigan Ann Arbor the best value for a degree in value in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $18,848 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Typical student debt for value graduates is $19,137. Early-career value graduates make about $66,254. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 16%.
Michigan Technological University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Houghton, Michigan Technological University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $20,532 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $44,807. Typical student debt for value graduates is $25,800. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from Michigan Technological University generally make around $64,652. That is a strong return on a $25,800 median debt. Michigan Technological University admits about 92% of applicants.
Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the town of Bowling Green, Bowling Green State University Main Campus is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,912, while out-of-state students pay about $21,900. Typical student debt for value graduates is $25,449. Value graduates of Bowling Green State University Main Campus earn a median of $45,196 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bowling Green State University Main Campus admits about 81% of applicants.
Depaul University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,405. Value graduates carry a median of $25,310 in student loans. Value graduates of Depaul University earn a median of $55,226 early in their careers. Set against $25,310 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 8 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.
