2027 Best Value Value Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Value](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/data-analytics/financial-analytics/) 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.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value value schools.
What’s on this page:
2027 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
Leading the list is University Of Michigan Dearborn, our #1 best value for value in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Dearborn, University Of Michigan Dearborn is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,640 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $32,896. Typical student debt for value graduates is $26,516. Early-career value graduates make about $62,536. That is a strong return on a $26,516 median debt. The acceptance rate is 56%.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a great value for students pursuing a degree in value, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $19,137 in student loans. Value graduates of University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earn a median of $66,254 early in their careers. Set against $19,137 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in value will find it at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, which ranked #3. 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, compared with $40,096 for out-of-state students. Value graduates carry a median of $20,778 in student loans. Early-career value graduates make about $57,461. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Chicago one of the best values for value. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,324. Typical student debt for value graduates is $15,854. Value graduates of University Of Chicago earn a median of $81,002 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,854 median debt. University Of Chicago admits about 4% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Toledo one of the best values for value. University Of Toledo is a large public school located in the city of Toledo. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,157, with out-of-state students paying around $21,517. Value graduates carry a median of $24,923 in student loans. Soon after graduation, value degree recipients from University Of Toledo generally make around $52,675. Set against $24,923 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Toledo admits about 92% of applicants.
Kent State University At Kent placed #6 among the best values for value. Located in the suburb of Kent, Kent State University At Kent is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,220, with out-of-state students paying around $21,575. Students borrow a median of $25,174 to complete the value program here. Early-career value graduates make about $44,776. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Kent State University At Kent admits about 86% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.