2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2019-2020, 133,583 general studies students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 14,268 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 989 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 21 colleges that offered a degree in general studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general studies programs and 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 general studies program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.
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Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 21 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 67 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend U-M.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Studies at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ferris State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Big Rapids, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 54 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2019-2020.
Ferris also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ferris is $7,207 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Dearborn. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized school located in Dearborn, Michigan that handed out 19 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UM Dearborn also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Dearborn is $6,751 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 University of Michigan - Dearborn General Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Youngstown State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Youngstown State University is a fairly large school located in Youngstown, Ohio that handed out 115 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Youngstown State University also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend Youngstown State University is $9,069 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on General Studies at Youngstown State University
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Illinois State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school handed out 100 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2019-2020.
Illinois State also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,470 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois State.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Shawnee State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Portsmouth, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Shawnee State University has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Shawnee State University is $13,697 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Kent State University at Kent ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Kent, Ohio, this large public school awarded 139 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2019-2020.
Kent State also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kent State is $13,915 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a ranking of #8, Baker College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Baker College is located in Owosso, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 39 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
Baker College also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Baker College is $13,376 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Northeastern Illinois University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northeastern Illinois University, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northeastern Illinois University is $14,816 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Northeastern Illinois University General Studies Report
Indiana Wesleyan University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. IWU is located in Marion, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
IWU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,450 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IWU.
University of Dayton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. University of Dayton is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UDayton has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,237 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Dayton.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.
Chicago State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.
CSU also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for CSU is $11,507 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
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.
With a ranking of #13, Spring Arbor University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Spring Arbor University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Spring Arbor, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Spring Arbor not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $14,962 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Spring Arbor.
Lincoln College landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lincoln, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lincoln College, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lincoln College is $20,845 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global is a fairly large school located in Marion, Indiana that handed out 69 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at IWU, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global is $21,589 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Siena Heights University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Siena Heights University is located in Adrian, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
Siena Heights University also made our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Siena Heights University is $18,135 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Alverno College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. 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 #13 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,483 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k 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.
DePaul University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. DePaul is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 141 bachelors’s general studies degrees to qualified students.
DePaul not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $26,173 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend DePaul.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 ranking of #19, Cornerstone University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cornerstone is a small school located in Grand Rapids, Michigan that handed out 4 bachelors’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Cornerstone not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Cornerstone University is $18,169 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on General Studies at Cornerstone University
Tiffin University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tiffin, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general studies degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Tiffin University has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tiffin University is $18,793 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Ohio Christian University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Circleville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general studies students in 2019-2020.
OCU also took the #21 spot in our “Best General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio Christian University is $26,390 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 Studies at Ohio Christian University
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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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