2027 Best Value General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology](/majors/physical-sciences/atmospheric-sciences-meteorology/atmospheric-sciences-and-meteorology-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general atmospheric sciences & meteorology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general atmospheric sciences & meteorology schools.
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2027 Best Value General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools
For return on investment in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology, no school beat University Of Michigan Ann Arbor this year. Located in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Typical student debt for general atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates is $19,137. Soon after graduation, general atmospheric sciences & meteorology degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $66,254. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Northern Illinois University one of the best values for general atmospheric sciences & meteorology. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,060. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates carry a median of $26,500 in student loans. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median of $52,308 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 70% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,267, while out-of-state students pay about $40,096. Students borrow a median of $22,311 to complete the general atmospheric sciences & meteorology program here. Soon after graduation, general atmospheric sciences & meteorology degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $41,026. Set against $22,311 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
A rank of #4 makes Purdue University Main Campus one of the best values for general atmospheric sciences & meteorology. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,992, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates carry a median of $19,844 in student loans. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $63,111 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology will find it at Ohio State University Main Campus, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,244, with out-of-state students paying around $40,022. General Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates carry a median of $22,053 in student loans. Early-career general atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates make about $58,088. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
University Of Wisconsin Madison came in at #6 for value in general atmospheric sciences & meteorology this year. Located in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates is $21,813. Early-career general atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates make about $36,790. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 45%.
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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 · 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.