2026 Best Value Near & Middle Eastern Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
[Near & Middle Eastern Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/near-and-middle-eastern-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong near & middle eastern studies education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value near & middle eastern studies schools.
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2026 Best Value Near & Middle Eastern Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in near & middle eastern studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Near & Middle Eastern Studies Schools
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor earned the #1 spot for value among near & middle eastern studies schools in the Great Lakes Region. University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public school located in the city of Ann Arbor. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, with out-of-state students paying around $63,081. Typical student debt for near & middle eastern studies graduates is $16,984. Early-career near & middle eastern studies graduates make about $32,062. Set against $16,984 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 16%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee earned it the #2 place for near & middle eastern studies. University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public school located in the city of Milwaukee. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,398, while out-of-state students pay about $22,398. Typical student debt for near & middle eastern studies graduates is $25,788. Early-career near & middle eastern studies graduates make about $46,561. That is a strong return on a $25,788 median debt. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in near & middle eastern studies will find it at University Of Wisconsin Madison, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,603, compared with $42,103 for out-of-state students. Near & Middle Eastern Studies graduates carry a median of $20,850 in student loans. Soon after graduation, near & middle eastern studies degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $59,877. That is a strong return on a $20,850 median debt. The acceptance rate is 45%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Chicago one of the best values for near & middle eastern studies. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $69,324. Students borrow a median of $15,854 to complete the near & middle eastern studies program here. Early-career near & middle eastern studies graduates make about $38,008. Set against $15,854 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Chicago admits about 4% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
