# Best Colleges in Great Lakes

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By Region
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-great-lakes

## Methodology

Composite score for institutions in the Great Lakes region

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

The Great Lakes region is home to some of the nation’s most respected colleges, making it a key area for prospective students and their families to consider. With 50 institutions in this ranking, students can find a variety of options that may suit their educational and career goals.

What sets these colleges apart are their graduation rates, average earnings post-graduation, and debt levels. For instance, the average earnings for graduates from schools in this list is $66,032, while the average graduation rate sits at 67%. The data below highlights how these institutions stack up against one another on these critical metrics.

Take, for example, the University of Chicago, with an impressive $91,885 in earnings and a graduation rate of 95%, compared to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, which has $81,054 in earnings and an 85% graduation rate. This contrast shows that while both institutions provide solid outcomes, the University of Chicago may offer a more lucrative return on investment.

## Key Findings

- University of Notre Dame graduates earn an average of $99,980, the highest in this list.
- The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a graduation rate of 85%, lower than the regional average of 67%.
- Northwestern University and the University of Chicago both have graduation rates above 95%, indicating strong student support.
- The average debt for graduates in this list is around $18,000, highlighting a manageable financial burden.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [University of Chicago](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-chicago) | Chicago, IL | 95% | $91,885 | $14,860 | $15,000 | 0.16x |
| 2 | [Northwestern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northwestern-university) | Evanston, IL | 96% | $89,363 | $29,167 | $15,000 | 0.17x |
| 3 | [University of Notre Dame](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-notre-dame) | Notre Dame, IN | 96% | $99,980 | $26,780 | $19,000 | 0.19x |
| 4 | [Southern Illinois University Edwardsville](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville) | Edwardsville, IL | 56% | $56,346 | $14,889 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 5 | [Michigan Technological University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/michigan-technological-university) | Houghton, MI | 68% | $78,198 | $14,182 | $24,990 | 0.32x |
| 6 | [University of Detroit Mercy](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-detroit-mercy) | Detroit, MI | 68% | $71,030 | $15,232 | $23,250 | 0.33x |
| 7 | [Illinois Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-institute-of-technology) | Chicago, IL | 74% | $82,592 | $18,425 | $25,000 | 0.3x |
| 8 | [Michigan State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/michigan-state-university) | East Lansing, MI | 81% | $67,253 | $19,680 | $23,250 | 0.35x |
| 9 | [Milwaukee School of Engineering](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/milwaukee-school-of-engineering) | Milwaukee, WI | 69% | $89,070 | $22,453 | $27,000 | 0.3x |
| 10 | [Illinois State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/illinois-state-university) | Normal, IL | 65% | $62,117 | $19,398 | $20,482 | 0.33x |
| 11 | [DePauw University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/depauw-university) | Greencastle, IN | 77% | $70,527 | $22,264 | $27,000 | 0.38x |
| 12 | [Ferris State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ferris-state-university) | Big Rapids, MI | 47% | $54,735 | $8,624 | $21,000 | 0.38x |
| 13 | [Kalamazoo College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kalamazoo-college) | Kalamazoo, MI | 79% | $65,590 | $19,072 | $26,077 | 0.4x |
| 14 | [Kenyon College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kenyon-college) | Gambier, OH | 84% | $71,830 | $38,512 | $18,527 | 0.26x |
| 15 | [Case Western Reserve University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/case-western-reserve-university) | Cleveland, OH | 87% | $87,989 | $41,190 | $24,000 | 0.27x |
| 16 | [Lewis University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lewis-university) | Romeoville, IL | 65% | $66,099 | $17,028 | $21,500 | 0.33x |
| 17 | [Ball State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ball-state-university) | Muncie, IN | 63% | $51,833 | $14,940 | $23,250 | 0.45x |
| 18 | [Kettering University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kettering-university) | Flint, MI | 71% | $94,823 | $34,660 | $27,000 | 0.28x |
| 19 | [Oakland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oakland-university) | Rochester Hills, MI | 57% | $58,612 | $9,120 | $22,750 | 0.39x |
| 20 | [Calvin University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/calvin-university) | Grand Rapids, MI | 76% | $58,375 | $22,992 | $23,250 | 0.4x |
| 21 | [Goshen College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/goshen-college) | Goshen, IN | 63% | $51,943 | $14,493 | $22,974 | 0.44x |
| 22 | [Dominican University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dominican-university) | River Forest, IL | 59% | $60,327 | $11,745 | $24,411 | 0.4x |
| 23 | [Andrews University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/andrews-university) | Berrien Springs, MI | 69% | $53,187 | $12,547 | $26,000 | 0.49x |
| 24 | [Marquette University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/marquette-university) | Milwaukee, WI | 82% | $78,257 | $31,487 | $23,940 | 0.31x |
| 25 | [Eastern Illinois University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/eastern-illinois-university) | Charleston, IL | 46% | $51,989 | $12,786 | $21,500 | 0.41x |
| 26 | [North Park University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-park-university) | Chicago, IL | 57% | $59,572 | $16,948 | $25,500 | 0.43x |
| 27 | [Ohio Northern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ohio-northern-university) | Ada, OH | 75% | $80,928 | $24,478 | $27,000 | 0.33x |
| 28 | [Valparaiso University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/valparaiso-university) | Valparaiso, IN | 69% | $63,191 | $18,578 | $26,942 | 0.43x |
| 29 | [Northern Illinois University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-illinois-university) | Dekalb, IL | 49% | $57,808 | $13,391 | $22,162 | 0.38x |
| 30 | [University of Evansville](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-evansville) | Evansville, IN | 68% | $53,770 | $18,499 | $24,606 | 0.46x |
| 31 | [University of Dayton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-dayton) | Dayton, OH | 81% | $75,537 | $29,533 | $23,250 | 0.31x |
| 32 | [University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign) | Champaign, IL | 85% | $81,054 | $14,355 | $19,500 | 0.24x |
| 33 | [The College of Wooster](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-college-of-wooster) | Wooster, OH | 74% | $59,629 | $23,458 | $26,500 | 0.44x |
| 34 | [Grand Valley State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/grand-valley-state-university) | Allendale, MI | 68% | $56,118 | $16,317 | $24,500 | 0.44x |
| 35 | [North Central College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-central-college) | Naperville, IL | 68% | $60,123 | $21,044 | $24,500 | 0.41x |
| 36 | [Lake Forest College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-forest-college) | Lake Forest, IL | 74% | $61,825 | $28,673 | $26,158 | 0.42x |
| 37 | [Grace College and Theological Seminary](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/grace-college-and-theological-seminary) | Winona Lake, IN | 69% | $45,411 | $19,932 | $19,500 | 0.43x |
| 38 | [Wabash College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wabash-college) | Crawfordsville, IN | 77% | $69,952 | $24,336 | $27,000 | 0.39x |
| 39 | [Butler University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/butler-university) | Indianapolis, IN | 80% | $77,235 | $36,041 | $26,000 | 0.34x |
| 40 | [Aurora University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/aurora-university) | Aurora, IL | 59% | $58,709 | $18,838 | $20,318 | 0.35x |
| 41 | [Western Michigan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-michigan-university) | Kalamazoo, MI | 58% | $53,562 | $15,273 | $26,188 | 0.49x |
| 42 | [Bradley University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bradley-university) | Peoria, IL | 74% | $66,852 | $22,719 | $27,000 | 0.4x |
| 43 | [Denison University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/denison-university) | Granville, OH | 79% | $67,753 | $40,007 | $26,000 | 0.38x |
| 44 | [Lake Superior State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-superior-state-university) | Sault Ste Marie, MI | 54% | $49,045 | $12,822 | $23,250 | 0.47x |
| 45 | [Oakland City University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oakland-city-university) | Oakland City, IN | 68% | $43,283 | $15,210 | $16,758 | 0.39x |
| 46 | [Siena Heights University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/siena-heights-university) | Adrian, MI | 45% | $57,529 | $17,124 | $18,750 | 0.33x |
| 47 | [Earlham College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/earlham-college) | Richmond, IN | 68% | $50,797 | $24,714 | $23,488 | 0.46x |
| 48 | [Huntington University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/huntington-university) | Huntington, IN | 66% | $46,672 | $19,310 | $25,576 | 0.55x |
| 49 | [Albion College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/albion-college) | Albion, MI | 59% | $58,799 | $14,301 | $27,000 | 0.46x |
| 50 | [Western Illinois University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-illinois-university) | Macomb, IL | 45% | $54,163 | $12,937 | $25,251 | 0.47x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Colleges in Great Lakes." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-colleges-great-lakes

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.