Best Meteorology Programs in the Midwest (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest
Regional list from Best Meteorology Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 8 Meteorology programs in the Midwest by median earnings of Meteorology graduates four years after completing. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $71,425 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $71,425 to $27,494, with a median of $54,288. For 2 of the 8 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 88% of the list. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks 35th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. Northern Illinois University posts the lowest average net price, at $13,391.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $71,425 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 42.4% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign reports $71,425 in median earnings of Meteorology graduates four years after completing and ranks 1st on this list, with a 42% admission rate. | |||||
| 2 | Valparaiso University · Valparaiso, IN | $60,092 | $18,578 | $11,043 | 89.4% |
| Valparaiso University, a private nonprofit university in Valparaiso, posts median federal debt of $27,000 among Meteorology completers who borrowed alongside earnings of $60,092 four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Saint Cloud State University · Saint Cloud, MN | $57,108 | $13,529 | $8,909 | 94.8% |
| Saint Cloud State University admits 95% of applicants and shows an average net price of $8,909 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 4 | University of Missouri-Columbia · Columbia, MO | $55,790 | $20,268 | $13,841 | 78.5% |
| University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 4th on this list with median earnings of $55,790 four years after completing and a cohort of 29 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 5 | Iowa State University · Ames, IA | $52,786 | $18,589 | $10,582 | 88.7% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Iowa State University left with a median of $22,869 in federal loans, and the school's Meteorology graduates earn $52,786 four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Northern Illinois University · Dekalb, IL | $49,198 | $13,391 | $10,126 | 69.8% |
| Northern Illinois University reports an average net price of $13,391 and ranks 116th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 7 | Central Michigan University · Mount Pleasant, MI | $32,925 | $17,597 | $12,185 | 89.8% |
| Central Michigan University posts $32,925 in median earnings of Meteorology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $12,185 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 8 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $27,494 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus ranks 90th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 61% of applicants. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Meteorology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figures cover federally aided completers of Meteorology who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 2 of the 8 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads Valparaiso University by $11,333, and the spread from the top to the bottom of the list is $43,931.
Related rankings
- Best Meteorology Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in the Midwest
- Meteorology Programs in the South
- Best Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest
- Physical Sciences Colleges in the Midwest for Social Mobility