2026 Best Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Best programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for best students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Best Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Best Schools for Best in the Great Lakes Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall best education in the Great Lakes Region.

Top Schools in Best

1

Miami University Oxford
Oxford, OH

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

37 Best Degrees Awarded

$49,700 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked Miami University Oxford the best school in the country for a degree in best. Set in the town of Oxford, Miami University Oxford is a large public institution. Miami University Oxford graduates 80% of students within six years. Miami University Oxford awarded about 37 best degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the best program make about $49,700 in their early career. Miami University Oxford graduates carry a median of $24,177 in student loans. Read more about the best program at Miami University Oxford

2

Baker College Of Flint
Owosso, MI

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

16 Best Degrees Awarded

$46,774 Median Starting Salary

Baker College Of Flint is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in best, ranking #2. This mid-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the town of Owosso. About 30% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 16 best students who graduated with this degree at Baker College Of Flint in the most recent data year. Graduates of the best program make about $46,774 in their early career. Baker College Of Flint graduates carry a median of $30,688 in student loans. See the full best program report for Baker College Of Flint

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 11 schools evaluated.

• 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.