2026 Best Value Retailing and Retail Operations Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Retailing and Retail Operations](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/sales-merchandising-marketing-ops/retailing-and-retail-operations/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for retailing and retail operations students.
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2026 Best Value Retailing and Retail Operations Schools in the Great Lakes Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the retailing and retail operations degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Retailing and Retail Operations Schools
For return on investment in retailing and retail operations, no school beat Lake Land College this year. Located in the rural area of Mattoon, Lake Land College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,415, compared with $14,301 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $7,769 to complete the retailing and retail operations program here. Soon after graduation, retailing and retail operations degree recipients from Lake Land College generally make around $30,294. Set against $7,769 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Joliet Junior College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in retailing and retail operations, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Joliet, Joliet Junior College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,530, compared with $13,800 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for retailing and retail operations graduates is $11,995. Early-career retailing and retail operations graduates make about $40,118. Set against $11,995 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Harper College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in retailing and retail operations, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Palatine, Harper College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,894, with out-of-state students paying around $11,874. Typical student debt for retailing and retail operations graduates is $10,963. Soon after graduation, retailing and retail operations degree recipients from Harper College generally make around $44,523. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in retailing and retail operations will find it at University Of Wisconsin Madison, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,630 to complete the retailing and retail operations program here. Retailing And Retail Operations graduates of University Of Wisconsin Madison earn a median of $57,760 early in their careers. Set against $21,630 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wisconsin Madison admits about 45% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 15 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
