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2027 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Natural Sciences](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/natural-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for natural sciences students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region

2027 Best Value Natural Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in natural sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Natural Sciences Schools

1

Dominican University
River Forest, IL

$38,828 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,054 Avg Student Debt

$60,327 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in natural sciences, no school beat Dominican University this year. Located in the suburb of River Forest, Dominican University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $38,828. Natural Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,054 in student loans. Natural Sciences graduates of Dominican University earn a median of $27,081 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,054 median debt. Dominican University admits about 90% of applicants.

2

Xavier University
Cincinnati, OH

$49,425 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,614 Avg Student Debt

$64,873 Median Earnings (10yr)

A rank of #2 makes Xavier University one of the best values for natural sciences. Set in the city of Cincinnati, Xavier University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,425. Students borrow a median of $26,614 to complete the natural sciences program here. Early-career natural sciences graduates make about $55,045. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Xavier University admits about 86% of applicants.

View All Natural Sciences Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.