by our College Data Analytics Team
Looking for the best colleges for the money in the Great Lakes Region? We have ranked 689 schools by value — the balance of cost and student outcomes, using our 2027 methodology. These are our No Aid ranking, which weighs each school’s published sticker price (tuition, fees, and room and board) before financial aid — use Customize Your Rankings below to narrow the list.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual analyzed 689 schools to build this 2027 best-value ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Jump to a Section:
After analyzing 689 schools in the Great Lakes Region to surface the strongest return on investment. We steer clear of subjective measures and weigh objective factors instead.
We start with the combined cost of average tuition, fees, and room and board — the list price before aid is applied (our No Aid ranking). Cost alone isn’t enough — overall quality matters too. We weigh cost against outcomes such as graduation rates, educational resources, and what graduates earn.
The schools that score best offer the strongest return on your investment. Read more about our methodology.
Your ideal school depends on your goals and budget. Refine the list by location and field of study, or explore related rankings below. Start by picking a degree level:
Learn more about these high-value schools below:
For return on investment, no school beat Joliet Junior College this year in the Great Lakes Region. Set in Joliet, IL, Joliet Junior College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,530, with out-of-state students paying around $13,800. The median program debt is $11,995. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $42,889. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Macomb Community College earned it the #2 place in the Great Lakes Region. Set in Warren, MI, Macomb Community College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,660 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,370. Graduates carry a median of $9,862 in student loans. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $41,596. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lake Land College came in at #3 on this year's best-value ranking in the Great Lakes Region. Lake Land College is a public school based in Mattoon, IL. Students from in state pay about $4,415 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,301. Students borrow a median of $7,769 to complete their program here. Median earnings reach $38,877 ten years out. That is a strong return on a $7,769 median debt.
A rank of #4 makes Illinois Valley Community College one of the best values in the Great Lakes Region. This public school is set in Oglesby, IL. Students from in state pay about $4,200 in tuition and fees, compared with $16,385 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $8,099 in student loans. Illinois Valley Community College alumni report median earnings of $40,810 a decade after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lewis And Clark Community College came in at #5 on this year's best-value ranking in the Great Lakes Region. Based in Godfrey, IL, Lewis And Clark Community College is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,340, compared with $7,840 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $9,602 to complete their program here. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $37,724. That is a strong return on a $9,602 median debt.
Trinity International University Illinois offered strong value this year, earning the #6 position. Located in Deerfield, IL, Trinity International University Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $12,320. Students borrow a median of $26,892 to complete their program here. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $46,989. That is a strong return on a $26,892 median debt. About 100% of those who apply are admitted.
Moraine Valley Community College placed #7 among the best values in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Palos Hills, IL, Moraine Valley Community College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $3,822, with out-of-state students paying around $9,846. Graduates carry a median of $11,149 in student loans. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $43,892. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Oakton Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #8 position. Oakton Community College is a public school based in Des Plaines, IL. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,985, compared with $12,462 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $7,750 to complete their program here. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $47,852. Set against $7,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Carl Sandburg College landed the #9 spot for value in the Great Lakes Region this year. Based in Galesburg, IL, Carl Sandburg College is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,390, while out-of-state students pay about $8,900. The median program debt is $8,604. Carl Sandburg College alumni report median earnings of $35,274 a decade after entry. That is a strong return on a $8,604 median debt.
Elgin Community College placed #10 among the best values in the Great Lakes Region. Set in Elgin, IL, Elgin Community College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $3,252, while out-of-state students pay about $9,516. Elgin Community College students take on a median of $7,727 in debt. Median earnings reach $45,516 ten years out. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Lincoln Land Community College came in at #11 in this year's value ranking. This public school is set in Springfield, IL. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,744, compared with $10,464 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $11,272 in student loans. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $38,479. That is a strong return on a $11,272 median debt.
Rock Valley College came in at #12 in this year's value ranking. Based in Rockford, IL, Rock Valley College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,334, with out-of-state students paying around $7,379. Rock Valley College students take on a median of $9,236 in debt. Median earnings reach $39,158 ten years out. That is a strong return on a $9,236 median debt.
Triton College ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best colleges for the money. Based in River Grove, IL, Triton College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,070, compared with $15,330 for out-of-state students. Triton College students take on a median of $12,994 in debt. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $41,728. Set against $12,994 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Ohio University Eastern Campus placed #14 among the best values in the Great Lakes Region. This public school is set in Saint Clairsville, OH. In-state tuition and fees run about $6,362, with out-of-state students paying around $9,444. Ohio University Eastern Campus students take on a median of $25,006 in debt. Graduates go on to earn a median of $52,581 ten years after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
College Of Dupage ranked #15 on our 2027 list of the best colleges for the money. Set in Glen Ellyn, IL, College Of Dupage is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees run about $4,560, compared with $12,750 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt is $12,492. College Of Dupage alumni report median earnings of $46,909 a decade after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Washtenaw Community College offered strong value this year, earning the #16 position. Washtenaw Community College is a public school based in Ann Arbor, MI. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,736, with out-of-state students paying around $6,504. Typical student debt is $17,616. Washtenaw Community College alumni report median earnings of $39,449 a decade after entry. Set against $17,616 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Richland Community College came in at #17 in this year's value ranking. Richland Community College is a public school based in Decatur, IL. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,680, with out-of-state students paying around $17,070. Richland Community College students take on a median of $9,562 in debt. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $38,793. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Alpena Community College ranked #18 on our 2027 list of the best colleges for the money. Based in Alpena, MI, Alpena Community College is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $6,840 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,220. Typical student debt is $10,000. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $36,442. Set against $10,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Cincinnati State Technical And Community College came in at #19 in this year's value ranking. Set in Cincinnati, OH, Cincinnati State Technical And Community College is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,517, while out-of-state students pay about $10,044. Graduates carry a median of $17,730 in student loans. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $40,137. That is a strong return on a $17,730 median debt.
Schoolcraft College landed the #20 spot for value in the Great Lakes Region this year. This public school is set in Livonia, MI. In-state tuition and fees average $3,799, while out-of-state students pay about $6,501. Schoolcraft College students take on a median of $15,677 in debt. Median earnings reach $42,722 ten years out. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
College Of Lake County landed the #21 spot for value in the Great Lakes Region this year. This public school is set in Grayslake, IL. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,788, while out-of-state students pay about $14,400. The median program debt is $9,785. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $43,424. That is a strong return on a $9,785 median debt.
Indiana University Kokomo came in at #22 in this year's value ranking. This public school is set in Kokomo, IN. Students from in state pay about $8,424 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,811 for out-of-state students. The median program debt is $24,619. A decade after starting, students earn a median of $49,917. Set against $24,619 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
Danville Area Community College came in at #23 in this year's value ranking. Danville Area Community College is a public school based in Danville, IL. In-state tuition and fees run about $4,440, compared with $7,440 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $9,470 in student loans. Danville Area Community College alumni report median earnings of $34,867 a decade after entry. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Kankakee Community College landed the #24 spot for value in the Great Lakes Region this year. Based in Kankakee, IL, Kankakee Community College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,220, with out-of-state students paying around $25,830. The median program debt is $13,289. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $38,767. Set against $13,289 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Cuyahoga Community College District placed #25 among the best values in the Great Lakes Region. Located in Cleveland, OH, Cuyahoga Community College District is a public institution. Students from in state pay about $3,249 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,249. The median program debt is $14,636. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $35,654. That is a strong return on a $14,636 median debt.
Not far behind, these schools also delivered strong value this year:
Explore the rest of this year’s top values below:
| Rank | College | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | Indiana University South Bend | South Bend, IN | Value Report |
| 102 | Southwestern Michigan College | Dowagiac, MI | Value Report |
| 103 | Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Olney Central College | Olney, IL | Value Report |
| 104 | Saginaw Valley State University | University Center, MI | Value Report |
Also worth considering for the money:
| Rank | College | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130 | Zane State College | Zanesville, OH | Value Report |
| 131 | University Of St Francis | Joliet, IL | Value Report |
| 132 | Wayne County Community College District | Detroit, MI | Value Report |
| 133 | University Of Southern Indiana | Evansville, IN | Value Report |
| 134 | Kirtland Community College | Grayling, MI | Value Report |
| 135 | Miami University Middletown | Middletown, OH | Value Report |
| 136 | Eastern Illinois University | Charleston, IL | Value Report |
| 137 | City Colleges Of Chicago Olive Harvey College | Chicago, IL | Value Report |
| 138 | Wayne State University | Detroit, MI | Value Report |
*Averages shown above reflect the top 689 ranked schools only.
These rankings are produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Rankings consider 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 Best Colleges For Money · Scope: Region · 689 schools evaluated. References
More about our data sources and methodologies.