2026 Best Value Science Technologies / Technicians Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Science Technologies / Technicians](/majors/science-technologies-technicians/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong science technologies / technicians education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 35 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for science technologies / technicians students.
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2026 Best Value Science Technologies / Technicians Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in science technologies / technicians, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Science Technologies / Technicians Schools
Oakland Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value science technologies / technicians schools in the Great Lakes Region. Located in the suburb of Auburn Hills, Oakland Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,120 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,560. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates carry a median of $12,024 in student loans. Early-career science technologies / technicians graduates make about $53,078. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne earned it the #2 place for science technologies / technicians. Located in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,532, compared with $22,887 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,119 to complete the science technologies / technicians program here. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne earn a median of $49,424 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Madison Area Technical College earned it the #3 place for science technologies / technicians. Set in the city of Madison, Madison Area Technical College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,977, with out-of-state students paying around $7,141. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates carry a median of $16,812 in student loans. Soon after graduation, science technologies / technicians degree recipients from Madison Area Technical College generally make around $44,279. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Wisconsin Stout came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value science technologies / technicians schools. University Of Wisconsin Stout is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Menomonie. Students from in state pay about $10,701 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,265 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for science technologies / technicians graduates is $27,000. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates of University Of Wisconsin Stout earn a median of $32,099 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. University Of Wisconsin Stout admits about 88% of applicants.
Northwestern University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in science technologies / technicians, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $68,322 in tuition and fees. Science Technologies / Technicians graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans. Early-career science technologies / technicians graduates make about $83,471. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. The acceptance rate is 8%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 35 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
