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2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

42 Ranked Colleges
1,058 Degrees Awarded
Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Education is the 28th most popular major in the country with 29,936 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 3,216 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,058 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 42 colleges that offered a degree in general education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank General Education Schools

The general education school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $9,654 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on General Education at Purdue

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,351 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UIUC.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#3

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Beloit College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This small school is located in Beloit, Wisconsin, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

Beloit did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Beloit is $10,769 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Beloit General Education Report

#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. UW - Green Bay is a medium-sized school located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that handed out 74 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Green Bay, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,584 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay General Education Report

#5

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 42 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Grand Valley State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Grand Valley State University is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 221 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

GVSU also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $15,775 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Grand Valley State University General Education Report

#6

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#1 in overall quality

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 157 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $20,696 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Michigan State University

University of Michigan - Dearborn ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Michigan - Dearborn is located in Dearborn, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend UM Dearborn is $10,553 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Michigan - Dearborn General Education Report

#8

Denison University

Granville, Ohio
#6 in overall quality

Denison University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. Granville, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 22 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Denison has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Denison is $22,652 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. 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 General Education at Denison University

#12 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. UWM is a public institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 153 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, UWM has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,881 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Education at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#10

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Lake Forest College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Lake Forest College is located in Lake Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Lake Forest has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,683 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lake Forest.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 full report on General Education at Lake Forest

#11

Manchester University

North Manchester, Indiana
#25 in overall quality

Manchester University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Manchester University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in North Manchester, Indiana. It awarded 11 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Manchester University has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Manchester University is $16,934 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Education at Manchester University

#12

Concordia University, Chicago

River Forest, Illinois

Concordia University, Chicago came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. River Forest, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Concordia University, Chicago is $17,295 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Education at Concordia University, Chicago

#13

Marian University

Indianapolis, Indiana

Marian University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,470 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Marian University.

Read full report on General Education at Marian University

#14

John Carroll University

University Heights, Ohio
#4 in overall quality

John Carroll University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. John Carroll is a private not-for-profit institution located in University Heights, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, John Carroll has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend John Carroll is $23,468 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at John Carroll

#15

Alverno College

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Alverno College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Alverno is a private not-for-profit institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Alverno, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,783 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Alverno College.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about General Education at Alverno College

#16

DePauw University

Greencastle, Indiana
#7 in overall quality

DePauw University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Greencastle, Indiana, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

DePauw also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for DePauw is $18,183 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on General Education at DePauw University

#17

Mount St. Joseph University

Cincinnati, Ohio
#24 in overall quality

Mount St. Joseph University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Mount St. Joseph University is a small school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 9 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Mount St. Joe has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mount St. Joe is $15,921 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about General Education at Mount St. Joe

#18

Marietta College

Marietta, Ohio
#23 in overall quality

Marietta College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Marietta, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Marietta, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,712 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Marietta.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Marietta College General Education Report

#19

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Elmhurst, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Elmhurst University is $19,703 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Elmhurst University

#19

Taylor University

Upland, Indiana
#17 in overall quality

Taylor University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Taylor U is located in Upland, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Taylor U also made our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Taylor University is $22,891 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Education at Taylor University

#21

University of Evansville

Evansville, Indiana
#16 in overall quality

University of Evansville ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UE is located in Evansville, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s general education degrees to qualified students.

UE also took the #16 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UE is $18,455 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Education at University of Evansville

#22

Hiram College

Hiram, Ohio

Hiram College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Hiram College is a small school located in Hiram, Ohio that handed out 11 bachelors’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $21,976 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Hiram College.

Full Hiram General Education Report

#23

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois

Illinois College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Jacksonville, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,942 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Illinois College.

Read more about General Education at Illinois College

#24

Marquette University

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#2 in overall quality

Marquette University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Marquette also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Marquette University is $25,492 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 Marquette University General Education Report

#25

Saint Norbert College

De Pere, Wisconsin
#15 in overall quality

Saint Norbert College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. De Pere, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general education degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, SNC has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best General Education Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Norbert College is $23,111 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at SNC

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Notes and References

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%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO.

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