2026 Best Value Accounting and Business/Management Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Accounting and Business/Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/accounting/accounting-and-business-management/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 25 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for accounting and business/management students.
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2026 Best Value Accounting and Business/Management Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in accounting and business/management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Accounting and Business/Management Schools
For return on investment in accounting and business/management, no school beat Oakland Community College this year. Oakland Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Auburn Hills. In-state tuition and fees average $3,120, while out-of-state students pay about $5,560. Typical student debt for accounting and business/management graduates is $21,496. Soon after graduation, accounting and business/management degree recipients from Oakland Community College generally make around $40,424. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Kaskaskia College earned it the #2 place for accounting and business/management. Located in the rural area of Centralia, Kaskaskia College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,800 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,570. Students borrow a median of $7,875 to complete the accounting and business/management program here. Accounting And Business/management 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.
Students looking for strong value in accounting and business/management will find it at Owens Community College, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Perrysburg, Owens Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,870 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,502 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for accounting and business/management graduates is $19,383. Accounting And Business/management graduates of Owens Community College earn a median of $45,785 early in their careers. Set against $19,383 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in accounting and business/management will find it at Grand Rapids Community College, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Community College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,179, compared with $12,219 for out-of-state students. Accounting And Business/management graduates carry a median of $12,750 in student loans. Early-career accounting and business/management graduates make about $35,538. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earned it the #5 place for accounting and business/management. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,762, compared with $34,891 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,146 to complete the accounting and business/management program here. Accounting And Business/management graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis earn a median of $56,930 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Northcentral Technical College placed #6 among the best values for accounting and business/management. Located in the city of Wausau, Northcentral Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,889, compared with $7,132 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,541 to complete the accounting and business/management program here. Soon after graduation, accounting and business/management degree recipients from Northcentral Technical College generally make around $33,568. That is a strong return on a $13,541 median debt.
Saint Xavier University landed the #7 spot for accounting and business/management value this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Saint Xavier University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $38,945 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,326 to complete the accounting and business/management program here. Early-career accounting and business/management graduates make about $49,533. Set against $23,326 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Saint Xavier University admits about 84% of applicants.
Indiana University Bloomington landed the #8 spot for accounting and business/management value this year. Indiana University Bloomington is a very large public school located in the city of Bloomington. Students from in state pay about $12,144 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $41,891. Students borrow a median of $20,542 to complete the accounting and business/management program here. Accounting And Business/management graduates of Indiana University Bloomington earn a median of $75,990 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,542 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Midwestern Career College earned the #9 position for value in accounting and business/management this year. Located in the city of Chicago, Midwestern Career College is a small private for-profit university. Typical student debt for accounting and business/management graduates is $14,360. Accounting And Business/management graduates of Midwestern Career College earn a median of $38,130 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global landed the #10 spot for accounting and business/management value this year. Set in the rural area of Marion, Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,648. Accounting And Business/management graduates carry a median of $31,946 in student loans. Early-career accounting and business/management graduates make about $56,765. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Siena Heights University placed #11 among the best values for accounting and business/management. Set in the town of Adrian, Siena Heights University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $30,778. Students borrow a median of $21,493 to complete the accounting and business/management program here. Accounting And Business/management graduates of Siena Heights University earn a median of $49,361 early in their careers. Set against $21,493 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Northern Michigan University landed the #12 spot for accounting and business/management value this year. Northern Michigan University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Marquette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,322, with out-of-state students paying around $19,944. Typical student debt for accounting and business/management graduates is $24,651. Soon after graduation, accounting and business/management degree recipients from Northern Michigan University generally make around $40,508. Set against $24,651 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Edgewood College earned the #13 position for value in accounting and business/management this year. Edgewood College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Madison. In-state tuition and fees average $35,860. Accounting And Business/management graduates carry a median of $26,750 in student loans. Early-career accounting and business/management graduates make about $56,578. Set against $26,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Hope College came in at #14 for value in accounting and business/management this year. Located in the city of Holland, Hope College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $39,484. Accounting And Business/management graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career accounting and business/management graduates make about $61,120. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Depaul University came in at #15 for value in accounting and business/management this year. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $45,405. Typical student debt for accounting and business/management graduates is $24,500. Soon after graduation, accounting and business/management degree recipients from Depaul University generally make around $55,226. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Depaul University admits about 76% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 25 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.
