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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region

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Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.

Area Studies is the 115th most popular major in the country with 6,966 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $33,127 and had an average of $20,927 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 808 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,342 and $21,486 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 73 colleges that offer a degree in area studies. That schools that top this list have a program in area studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Area Studies in the Great Lakes Region

1
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

Out of the 73 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Oberlin College landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Oberlin, Ohio, and it awarded 41 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Oberlin

2
Earlham crest
Earlham College
Richmond, Indiana

Out of the 73 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Earlham College landed the #2 spot on the list. Earlham is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Richmond, Indiana. It awarded 6 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Earlham

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The College of Wooster. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region. Wooster College is a small school located in Wooster, Ohio that handed out 10 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area Studies at Wooster College

4
Wittenberg crest
Wittenberg University
Springfield, Ohio

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wittenberg University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Springfield, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Area Studies at Wittenberg University

5
Siena Heights University crest
Siena Heights University
Adrian, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Siena Heights University. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region. Siena Heights University is a small school located in Adrian, Michigan that handed out 14 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Siena Heights University Area Studies Report

6
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Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo, Michigan

With a ranking of #6, Kalamazoo College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Kalamazoo, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Kalamazoo College Area Studies Report

7
Lake Forest crest
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Lake Forest is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lake Forest, Illinois. It awarded 6 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Lake Forest

8
Knox crest
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

With a ranking of #8, Knox College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Galesburg, Illinois, and it awarded 4 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Area Studies at Knox College

9
Lawrence U crest
Lawrence University
Appleton, Wisconsin

Lawrence University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Lawrence U is located in Appleton, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full Lawrence University Area Studies Report

10

Miami University - Oxford came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Miami University - Oxford is located in Oxford, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 56 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at Miami University - Oxford

11
Adrian crest
Adrian College
Adrian, Michigan

Adrian College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Adrian College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Adrian, Michigan. It awarded 4 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Adrian College Area Studies Report

12
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

Hillsdale College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Hillsdale College is a small school located in Hillsdale, Michigan that handed out 3 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Area Studies at Hillsdale College

13
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #13 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 45 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Chicago

14
Valpo crest
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana

Valparaiso University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Valparaiso University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valparaiso, Indiana. It awarded 7 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Valpo Area Studies Report

15
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 26 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Area Studies at Notre Dame

16
Carthage crest
Carthage College
Kenosha, Wisconsin

Carthage College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Kenosha, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Carthage College

17
SNC crest
Saint Norbert College
De Pere, Wisconsin

Saint Norbert College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. SNC is a private not-for-profit institution located in De Pere, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at SNC

18

Ohio Wesleyan University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Delaware, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at OWU

19

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 68 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area Studies at U-M

20

With a ranking of #20, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Dearborn, Michigan, and it awarded 10 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Michigan - Dearborn

21

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bowling Green, Ohio, and it awarded 18 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Area Studies Report

22
IU Bloomington crest
Indiana University - Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 44 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Area Studies Report

23
Augustana crest
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois

Augustana College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Rock Island, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Augustana

24

With a ranking of #24, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region list. OHIO Athens is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Area Studies at OHIO Athens

25
Bradley crest
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois

Bradley University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bradley is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 5 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Bradley Area Studies Report

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