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2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

11 Ranked Colleges
127 Degrees Awarded
$31,300 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 6,820 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 106th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,734 and had an average of $23,024 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 850 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,363 and $22,838 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 127 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality area studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree area studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 11 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

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 #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 25 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree area studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UChicago has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UChicago are $61,548.

Full University of Chicago Area Studies Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 22 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548.

Full U-M Area Studies Report

#3

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#6 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 #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794.

Read more about Area Studies at Purdue

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 8 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Area Studies at UW - Madison

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree area studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIUC has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#6

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

With a ranking of #6, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #5 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338.

Read more about Area Studies at IU Bloomington

#8 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

UIC also took the #8 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Chicago are $27,036.

Read full report on Area Studies at UIC

#9 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Ohio State is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 4 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State University - Main Campus are $37,141, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Ohio State Area Studies Report

#10 in overall quality

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Bowling Green, Ohio that handed out 5 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

BGSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at BGSU are $15,823, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Area Studies at BGSU

With a ranking of #10, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 1 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Area Studies Report

#7 in overall quality

Ohio University - Athens Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree area studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, OHIO Athens has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at OHIO Athens are $17,712, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Area Studies at Ohio University - Athens Campus

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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.

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