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2023 Best Value Trade School Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which trade school program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.
The Best Value Trade School Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 151 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which ones offered the best value bachelor's degree programs for trade school students. The goal was to highlight schools with more affordable prices than others offering similar quality experiences.
When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Top Value Trade Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Flex the best value school in the Great Lakes Region for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 112 students in 2021-2022.
UWM Flexible Option undergraduate students pay an average of $6,750 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $24,141 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Interested in an online degree? Then you definitely want to check out UWM Flexible Option. Every undergraduate student at the school took at least one class online.
UWM Flexible Option also claimed a spot on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 5% of all schools in this category.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses is a great place for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional Campuses is a small private not-for-profit school located in Angola, Indiana that handed out 76 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Trine are $9,576 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,074 in student loans.
Trine is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
Trine did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Out of the 151 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s value ranking, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 14 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Cincinnati State undergraduate students pay an average of $9,558 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Cincinnati State. During the 2020-2021 year, about 57% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Cincinnati State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Read full report on Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Ottawa University - Milwaukee. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Ottawa University - Milwaukee is a very small private not-for-profit school situated in Brookfield, Wisconsin. It awarded 40 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Ottawa University - Milwaukee are $12,676 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,339 in student loans.
Ottawa University - Milwaukee does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 98% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Ottawa University - Milwaukee also made our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list, coming in at #2.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Northwestern Michigan College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in the Great Lakes Region . This small public school is located in Traverse City, Michigan, and it awarded 38 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NMC are $12,048 per year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $22,076 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at NMC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 74% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
NMC excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Miami University - Hamilton did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #6 on the list. Miami University - Hamilton is a small public school located in Hamilton, Ohio that handed out 411 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Miami University - Hamilton undergraduate students pay an average of $17,490 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,929 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at Miami University - Hamilton, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 85% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Miami University - Hamilton not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #1 on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized public school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1,300 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
UW - River Falls undergraduate students pay an average of $16,128 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $20,247 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Online courses are available at UW - River Falls, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 77% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, UW - River Falls is ranked #5 for overall quality in the Great Lakes Region .
Ferris State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, the fairly large public school handed out 1,912 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
Ferris undergraduate students pay an average of $13,608 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,359 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Ferris does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 48% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, Ferris is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,315 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UW - Eau Claire are $17,627 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,634 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that UW - Eau Claire does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, UW - Eau Claire also did well on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Platteville, Wisconsin, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,415 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
UW - Platteville undergraduate students pay an average of $16,800 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,287 in loans while pursuing their degree.
UW - Platteville does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2020-2021 year, about 30% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, UW - Platteville is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Herzing University - Akron did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Herzing Akron is located in Akron, Ohio and has a very small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 26 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Herzing Akron are $12,750 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $32,260 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Herzing Akron does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 77% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
In addition to its great value ranking, Herzing Akron is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #12 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1,317 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
UW - Stout undergraduate students pay an average of $17,930 in tuition and fees each year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $21,948 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at UW - Stout. During the 2020-2021 year, about 61% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - Stout also is in the top 5% of our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #13 on the list. Whitewater, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,187 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UW - Whitewater are $17,039 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $22,074 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at UW - Whitewater, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 67% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
UW - Whitewater excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Miami University - Middletown did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #14 on the list. Miami University - Middletown is a public institution located in Middletown, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 149 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Miami University - Middletown are $17,390 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $22,961 in student loans.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Miami University - Middletown. In 2020-2021 about 88% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Miami University - Middletown also is in the top 10% of our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
National Louis University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. NLU is located in Chicago, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 799 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
NLU undergraduate students pay an average of $14,244 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $22,783 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at NLU. In fact, around 51% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Rasmussen University - Wisconsin came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Rasmussen University - Wisconsin is a very small private for-profit school located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that handed out 24 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Rasmussen University - Wisconsin are $13,208 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,981 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Rasmussen University - Wisconsin does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree trade school programs. IWU is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Marion, Indiana. It awarded 1,253 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
IWU undergraduate students pay an average of $9,432 in tuition and fees each year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $27,133 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at IWU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 96% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a fairly large public school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 2,139 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UW - La Crosse are $18,051 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $20,591 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that UW - La Crosse does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 44% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, UW - La Crosse is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
With a ranking of #19, Central Michigan University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their bachelor’s degree. Central Michigan is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 3,164 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Central Michigan are $13,703 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $27,188 in student loans.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Central Michigan. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 42% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
University of Cincinnati - Blue Ash College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree trade school programs. UC Blue Ash College is a medium-sized public school situated in Blue Ash, Ohio. It awarded 27 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at UC Blue Ash College are $15,588 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $22,446 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at UC Blue Ash College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 72% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, UC Blue Ash College is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Bachelor’s Degree Trade Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Purdue University Northwest did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in Hammond, Indiana, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,580 bachelor’s degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Purdue Northwest are $14,478 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,913 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Purdue Northwest does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 42% took at least some of their classes online.
Herzing University - Madison came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Herzing University - Madison is a small private not-for-profit school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 237 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Herzing University - Madison are $12,750 a year. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $31,838 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Herzing University - Madison does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Youngstown State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Youngstown State University is a public institution located in Youngstown, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,818 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Youngstown State University are $9,945 a year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $25,194 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Youngstown State University does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 52% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Northern Illinois University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 2,844 bachelor’s degrees in 2021-2022.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at NIU are $12,472 per year. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,475 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that NIU does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 74% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
DeVry University - Ohio came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Trade School Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 88 students in 2021-2022.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at DeVry University - Ohio are $15,032 a year. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $40,683 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
DeVry University - Ohio is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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