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

22 Ranked Colleges
807 Degrees Awarded
$31,100 Avg Salary
Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 7,874 people earned their degree in international studies, making the major the 95th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, international studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,355 and had an average of $22,904 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 893 international studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,100 and $25,004 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 807 international studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 22 colleges that offer a degree in international studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality international 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 international 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.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college 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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

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

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 22 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Notre Dame. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international studies degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also took the #1 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $17,768 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The 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 International Studies at University of Notre Dame

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 International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 227 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

U-M also made our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $10,028 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at U-M

Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’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 #3 spot on the list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 82 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also took the #5 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $13,227 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison International Studies Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 50 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,351 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign International Studies Report

#5

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a medium-sized public school situated in Platteville, Wisconsin. It awarded 4 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Platteville has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,152 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Platteville.

Read full report on International Studies at UW - Platteville

#6

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#4 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

UW - River Falls did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,474 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Full UW - River Falls International Studies Report

#7

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UW - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Stevens Point has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $14,165 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on International Studies at UW - Stevens Point

#8

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#12 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2019-2020.

GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Grand Valley State University is $15,775 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 full report on International Studies at Grand Valley State University

Case Western Reserve University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

Case Western did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Case Western Reserve University is $22,236 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Studies at Case Western

#10

Illinois College

Jacksonville, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Illinois College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Illinois College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Jacksonville, Illinois. It awarded 11 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois College, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois College is $14,942 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about International Studies at Illinois College

#11

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 55 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UWM has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,881 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about International Studies at UWM

#12

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 54 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, Michigan State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $20,696 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Michigan State International Studies Report

#10 in overall quality

Baldwin Wallace University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Berea, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Baldwin Wallace College, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Baldwin Wallace College is $21,118 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Baldwin Wallace University

#8 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Miami University - Oxford is located in Oxford, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $23,232 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Miami University - Oxford.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about International Studies at Miami University - Oxford

#15

Capital University

Columbus, Ohio
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Capital University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Capital is a small school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 4 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Capital, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Capital University is $20,693 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Capital International Studies Report

Wright State University - Main Campus ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wright State University - Main Campus is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

Wright State University - Main Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wright State University - Main Campus is $16,908 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about International Studies at Wright State University - Main Campus

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is located in Bowling Green, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, BGSU has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is $18,127 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus International Studies Report

#18

Ohio Wesleyan University

Delaware, Ohio

Ohio Wesleyan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. OWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Delaware, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

OWU also made our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $22,111 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ohio Wesleyan University.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at OWU

#19

University of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio

University of Dayton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. UDayton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dayton, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UDayton has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Dayton is $24,614 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, 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 students.

Read full report on International Studies at UDayton

#20

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, Indiana
#18 in overall quality

Valparaiso University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Valpo is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Valparaiso, Indiana. It awarded 1 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Valpo also took the #18 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,661 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Valparaiso University.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.

Full Valpo International Studies Report

#21

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Western Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 21 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

WMU also made our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend WMU is $19,841 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on International Studies at Western Michigan University

#22

Hope College

Holland, Michigan

Hope College landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Holland, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international studies degrees to 9 students in 2019-2020.

Hope did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Hope is $20,372 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 International Studies at Hope College

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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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Yerpo.

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