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2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

25 Ranked Colleges
1,097 Degrees Awarded
$13,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 9,456 people earned their degree in philosophy, making the major the 82nd most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,283 philosophy graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,097 philosophy graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 25 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in philosophy. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent philosophy programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the philosophy program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The philosophy school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Philosophy (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $1,866 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern University.

The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Philosophy at Northwestern University

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. UChicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 70 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $2,712 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Philosophy at UChicago

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 36 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k list, U-M has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

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 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 Philosophy at U-M

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k 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 54 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $4,367 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Philosophy Report

#9 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 29 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #9 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $5,477 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Read more about Philosophy at UIUC

#6

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

University of Notre Dame came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Notre Dame, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also took the #4 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Notre Dame is $12,498 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Notre Dame Philosophy Report

#7 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 30 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $8,194 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Philosophy Report

#8

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#18 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 12 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $4,969 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Philosophy Report

#9

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 17 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Stevens Point, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,446 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.

Full UW - Stevens Point Philosophy Report

#10

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#12 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $11,578 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Grand Valley State University Philosophy Report

#11

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 17 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also took the #6 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,440 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wheaton College Illinois.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Wheaton College Illinois Philosophy Report

#12

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Illinois State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

Illinois State also took the #11 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,470 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Illinois State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State Philosophy Report

#8 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC is a large public school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 14 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

UC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,078 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Philosophy Report

#13

Hanover College

Hanover, Indiana
#14 in overall quality

Hanover College landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Hanover is located in Hanover, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s philosophy degrees to qualified students.

Hanover not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Hanover is $16,539 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 Philosophy at Hanover

#15

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#21 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UWM, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $13,222 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Philosophy at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#16 in overall quality

Kent State University at Kent ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Kent State is a public institution located in Kent, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Kent State, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,915 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Kent State University at Kent.

Read more about Philosophy at Kent State

#17

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#24 in overall quality

Central Michigan University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Central Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan that handed out 6 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Central Michigan also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan is $11,598 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Philosophy at Central Michigan University

#13 in overall quality

Franciscan University of Steubenville ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Franciscan University of Steubenville is a private not-for-profit institution located in Steubenville, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Franciscan U, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Franciscan U is $18,799 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Franciscan U

#19

Marquette University

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#10 in overall quality

Marquette University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Marquette did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Marquette University is $19,169 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Marquette

#20

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#22 in overall quality

Western Michigan University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

WMU also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $13,021 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Philosophy at WMU

#21

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois
#20 in overall quality

Lake Forest College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Lake Forest is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lake Forest, Illinois. It awarded 9 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Lake Forest, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,192 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lake Forest.

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%.

Read full report on Philosophy at Lake Forest College

#22

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan
#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Eastern Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Eastern Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Ypsilanti, Michigan that handed out 11 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Eastern Michigan also made our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #25. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Michigan University is $13,904 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Eastern Michigan University Philosophy Report

#23

Elmhurst University

Elmhurst, Illinois
#23 in overall quality

Elmhurst University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Elmhurst, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s philosophy students in 2019-2020.

Elmhurst also took the #23 spot in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $16,903 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Elmhurst University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Elmhurst University Philosophy Report

#24

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

DePaul University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s philosophy degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k list, DePaul has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DePaul is $26,173 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy at DePaul

#25

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s philosophy degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Philosophy Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Chicago is $29,440 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola University Chicago Philosophy Report

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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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