2023 Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 114 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which graduate certificate programs offered the best value experiences for students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.
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Top Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Wisconsin Lutheran College the best value school in the Great Lakes Region for students working on their graduate certificate. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out graduate certificates to 3 students in 2020-2021.
WLC graduate students pay an average of $10,080 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at WLC. In fact, around 75% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
WLC did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
The excellent graduate certificate programs at Cedarville University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best value schools in the Great Lakes Region . Cedarville is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cedarville, Ohio. It awarded 1 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Cedarville are $9,864 a year.
Online graduate courses are available at Cedarville, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 52% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Cedarville also is in the top 10% of our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Viterbo University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Viterbo is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 285 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Viterbo are $9,488 per year. By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,230 in student loans.
Viterbo does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 72% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its great value ranking, Viterbo is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Ferris State University. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Ferris is a public institution located in Big Rapids, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 41 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Ferris graduate students pay an average of $8,232 in tuition and fees each year.
Ferris does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 67% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Concordia University, Chicago is a great place for students working on their graduate certificate who want the most bang for their educational buck. Located in River Forest, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 80 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Concordia University, Chicago graduate students pay an average of $9,378 in tuition and fees each year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Concordia University, Chicago. During the 2019-2020 year, about 98% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 87 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Olivet Nazarene are $12,190 per year.
Olivet Nazarene does offer online graduate classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 97% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
In addition to its great value ranking, Olivet Nazarene is in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Youngstown State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, the fairly large public school handed out 22 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Youngstown State University graduate students pay an average of $6,931 in tuition and fees each year.
One thing to take note of is that Youngstown State University does offer online graduate classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 60% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Concordia University, Wisconsin ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Concordia University, Wisconsin is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Mequon, Wisconsin that handed out 78 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Concordia University, Wisconsin graduate students pay an average of $11,760 in tuition and fees each year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Concordia University, Wisconsin. During the 2019-2020 year, about 67% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
In addition to its great value ranking, Concordia University, Wisconsin is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list.
Herzing University - Madison ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Herzing University - Madison is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 62 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Herzing University - Madison are $11,680 a year.
Since the graduate programs at Herzing University - Madison are primarily online, it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
Baldwin Wallace University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Baldwin Wallace College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Berea, Ohio. It awarded 12 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Baldwin Wallace College are $11,363 per year.
Baldwin Wallace College does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 40% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
McKendree University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. McKendree is located in Lebanon, Illinois and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at McKendree are $9,756 per year.
One thing to take note of is that McKendree does offer online graduate classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 68% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #12, University of St Francis did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their graduate certificate. University of St Francis is a small private not-for-profit school located in Joliet, Illinois that handed out 80 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
University of Saint Francis graduate students pay an average of $13,839 in tuition and fees each year.
University of Saint Francis does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 89% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, University of Saint Francis also is in the top 10% of our Best Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking.
Valparaiso University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #13 on the list. Located in Valparaiso, Indiana, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 81 diplomas to qualifed graduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Valpo are $12,220 per year.
Valpo does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 61% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Marian University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, and it awarded 4 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Marian graduate students pay an average of $11,286 in tuition and fees each year.
Online graduate courses are available at Marian, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 95% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, the fairly large public school handed out 36 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at SIUE are $9,316 per year.
One thing to take note of is that SIUE does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In fact, around 86% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Indiana Institute of Technology landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Indiana Tech is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 38 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Indiana Tech graduate students pay an average of $10,026 in tuition and fees each year.
Since the graduate programs at Indiana Tech are primarily online, it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
Illinois State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #17 on the list. Illinois State is a public institution located in Normal, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 278 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Illinois State graduate students pay an average of $11,773 in tuition and fees each year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Illinois State. During the 2019-2020 year, about 81% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.
National Louis University landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 134 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at NLU are $12,096 a year.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since NLU does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 59% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Alverno College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Alverno is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 72 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Alverno are $10,402 a year.
You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Alverno. In fact, around 16% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Western Illinois University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. WIU is located in Macomb, Illinois and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 graduate certificates to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at WIU are $12,182 a year.
WIU does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 71% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Mount St. Joseph University landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Mount St. Joseph University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 5 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at Mount St. Joe are $13,700 a year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Mount St. Joe. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 22% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Purdue University Global landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. Purdue University Global is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 402 graduate certificates to qualified students.
Purdue University Global graduate students pay an average of $10,582 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $33,486 in student loans.
Since the graduate programs at Purdue University Global are primarily online, it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. IWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Marion, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 135 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at IWU are $10,440 a year.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at IWU. In 2019-2020 about 90% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Northern Illinois University landed the #24 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value graduate certificate programs. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 30 graduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state graduate students at NIU are $11,390 a year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at NIU. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 43% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Trinity Christian College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Graduate Certificate Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Palos Heights, Illinois, the very small private not-for-profit school handed out 1 graduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for graduate students at Trinity Christian are $10,708 per year.
Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at Trinity Christian. In fact, around 14% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
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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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