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2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

83 Ranked Colleges
6,275 Degrees Awarded
$7,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

English Language & Literature is the 18th most popular major in the country with 54,635 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, English language and literature graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,352 and had an average of $23,972 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 6,275 English language and literature graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,767 and $24,913 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 83 colleges that offered a degree in English language and literature. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent English language and literature programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the English language and literature program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank English Language & Literature Schools

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for English Language & Literature (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Out of the 83 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s English language and literature degrees to 99 students in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also took the #3 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $245 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Northwestern University English Language & Literature Report

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 104 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $2,500 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Chicago.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 100%. 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 full report on English Language & Literature at University of Chicago

3

Out of the 83 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 193 diplomas to qualified ’s English language and literature students in 2020-2021.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

4

Out of the 83 schools in the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #4 spot on the list. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 160 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $3,981 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Madison.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about English Language & Literature at UW - Madison

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 179 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $4,858 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 full report on English Language & Literature at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

6
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Purdue University - Main Campus is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 113 ’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,995 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Purdue University - Main Campus

7
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

With a ranking of #7, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Notre Dame, Indiana, and it awarded 67 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

Notre Dame did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Notre Dame is $9,872 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Notre Dame

8
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 111 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State University is $6,927 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, 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 91%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Michigan State University

9

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 94 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $5,752 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington English Language & Literature Report

10

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 182 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k list, Ohio State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $7,068 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Ohio State University - Main Campus

11
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oberlin College is located in Oberlin, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 50 ’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

Oberlin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,756 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Oberlin.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 more about English Language & Literature at Oberlin

12

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a public institution located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 49 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $7,517 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

13
Ferris crest
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, Michigan

Ferris State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ferris State University is located in Big Rapids, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Ferris State University is $6,577 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Ferris

14

With a ranking of #14, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a large school located in Indianapolis, Indiana that handed out 70 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend IUPUI is $7,026 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 IUPUI English Language & Literature Report

15

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Eau Claire, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s English language and literature degrees to 97 students in 2020-2021.

UW - Eau Claire also made our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $9,547 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about English Language & Literature at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

16
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #16, Oakland University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oakland is a public institution located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 82 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Oakland is $8,949 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Oakland English Language & Literature Report

17
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ball State University is a large public school situated in Muncie, Indiana. It awarded 78 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $8,273 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Ball State

18

Miami University - Oxford landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oxford, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s English language and literature degrees to 159 students in 2020-2021.

Miami University - Oxford also took the #8 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Oxford is $13,956 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at Miami University - Oxford

19

With a ranking of #19, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 110 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $10,549 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read more about English Language & Literature at UIC

20

University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $8,438 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.

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

Full UW - River Falls English Language & Literature Report

21
IU East crest
Indiana University - East
Richmond, Indiana

Indiana University - East ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. IU East is located in Richmond, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 52 ’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - East is $5,516 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Indiana University - East English Language & Literature Report

22
Beloit crest
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Beloit is located in Beloit, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 ’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $7,970 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Beloit.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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%. 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 English Language & Literature at Beloit

23

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 55 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $8,047 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full SIUE English Language & Literature Report

24
PFW crest
Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana

With a ranking of #24, Purdue University Fort Wayne did quite well on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and it awarded 26 ’s English language and literature degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue University Fort Wayne is $7,414 for Great Lakes Region English Language & Literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about English Language & Literature at PFW

25
Kenyon crest
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Best Value English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Kenyon College is located in Gambier, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 ’s English language and literature degrees to qualified students.

Kenyon did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best English Language & Literature Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Kenyon College is $14,958 for great lakes region english language & literature students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on English Language & Literature at Kenyon

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