2027 Best Value Museum Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Museum Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/museum-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong museum studies education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for museum studies students.
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2027 Best Value Museum Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the museum studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Museum Studies Schools
For return on investment in museum studies, no school beat University Of Michigan Ann Arbor this year. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. In-state tuition and fees average $18,848, compared with $63,081 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for museum studies graduates is $19,137. Museum Studies 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.
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value museum studies schools. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,762, with out-of-state students paying around $34,891. Typical student debt for museum studies graduates is $23,146. Soon after graduation, museum studies degree recipients from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis generally make around $31,415. That is a strong return on a $23,146 median debt. Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis admits about 76% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Illinois University earned it the #3 place for museum studies. Located in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,572. Museum Studies graduates carry a median of $27,639 in student loans. Museum Studies graduates of Western Illinois University earn a median of $31,788 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,639 median debt. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in museum studies will find it at University Of Akron Main Campus, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $13,135 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,815. Museum Studies graduates carry a median of $25,347 in student loans. Soon after graduation, museum studies degree recipients from University Of Akron Main Campus generally make around $49,045. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Akron Main Campus admits about 60% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a great value for students pursuing a degree in museum studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Milwaukee, University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $10,398, with out-of-state students paying around $22,398. Students borrow a median of $26,657 to complete the museum studies program here. Soon after graduation, museum studies degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee generally make around $37,453. Set against $26,657 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio University Main Campus landed the #6 spot for museum studies value this year. Set in the town of Athens, Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,158, while out-of-state students pay about $24,838. Museum Studies graduates carry a median of $24,546 in student loans. Museum Studies graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $49,736 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,546 median debt. Ohio University Main Campus admits about 85% 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.