2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” 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” ranking looked at 10 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great area studies programs and cost less that 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
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” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree area studies students.
Top 10 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree area studies students list, UW - Madison has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio University - Athens Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. Ohio University - Athens Campus is a large school located in Athens, Ohio that handed out 20 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
OHIO Athens not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 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 Ohio University - Athens Campus are $17,712.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 14 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #3 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 UIUC are $30,083.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Out of the 10 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the 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 Bowling Green State University - Main Campus are $15,823, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.
Purdue also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794.
Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #6. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 6 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
UIC also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036.
Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 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 you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Area Studies at Ohio State University - Main Campus
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. 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. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree area studies students list, UChicago has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UChicago are $61,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
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Best Area Studies Master's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
Most Popular Master's Degree Online Area Studies Schools
Area Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students with family income less than $30k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students with family income $48-$75k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in the Great Lakes Region
Highest Paid Master's Degree Area Studies Graduates in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
Most Popular Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
Area Studies students getting aid in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students with family income $30-$48k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students with family income $75-$110k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Great Lakes Region
Area Studies students in the Great Lakes Region
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 Karl Udo Gerth.
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