2026 Best Value Agriculture Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Agriculture](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/general-agriculture/agriculture/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 19 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value agriculture schools.
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2026 Best Value Agriculture Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the agriculture degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Agriculture Schools
Leading the list is Ivy Tech Community College, our #1 best value for agriculture in the Great Lakes Region. Ivy Tech Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Indianapolis. In-state tuition and fees average $5,154, compared with $9,935 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $7,125 to complete the agriculture program here. Agriculture graduates of Ivy Tech Community College earn a median of $39,261 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $7,125 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in agriculture will find it at Kaskaskia College, which ranked #2. Located in the rural area of Centralia, Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,800, while out-of-state students pay about $12,570. Typical student debt for agriculture graduates is $7,875. Agriculture graduates of Kaskaskia College earn a median of $45,658 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $7,875 median debt.
Western Illinois University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in agriculture, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Macomb, Western Illinois University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,572. Typical student debt for agriculture graduates is $18,969. Soon after graduation, agriculture degree recipients from Western Illinois University generally make around $48,509. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 71%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Purdue University Main Campus earned it the #4 place for agriculture. Set in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Students borrow a median of $19,844 to complete the agriculture program here. Early-career agriculture graduates make about $63,111. Set against $19,844 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 50%.
Illinois State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value agriculture schools. Set in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,410, while out-of-state students pay about $26,058. Students borrow a median of $18,750 to complete the agriculture program here. Soon after graduation, agriculture degree recipients from Illinois State University generally make around $47,295. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Illinois State University admits about 88% of applicants.
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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 · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
