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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

12 Ranked Colleges
130 Degrees Awarded
$9,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Meteorology 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 has developed its “Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology is the 230th most popular major in the country with 1,167 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, atmospheric sciences and meteorology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,050 and had an average of $25,463 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 189 atmospheric sciences and meteorology graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,200 and $27,000 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 130 atmospheric sciences and meteorology graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 12 colleges that offer a degree in atmospheric sciences and meteorology. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent atmospheric sciences and meteorology programs, but they also 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 atmospheric sciences and meteorology program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

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

Top 12 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1 in overall quality

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 Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 9 bachelors’s meteorology degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s meteorology students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also took the #2 spot in our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,367 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at UW - Madison

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 19 bachelors’s meteorology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,477 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $8,194 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree meteorology 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%.

Read more about Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at Ohio State

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s meteorology degrees to qualified students.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,483 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Report

#6

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#7 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 5 bachelors’s meteorology degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #7 spot in our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $4,969 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at IU Bloomington

#7

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#9 in overall quality

Ball State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Ball State University is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 14 bachelors’s meteorology degrees in 2019-2020.

Ball State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,403 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ball State University.

Full Ball State University Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Report

#8

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s meteorology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $15,281 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Northern Illinois University Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Report

#9

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s meteorology degrees in 2019-2020.

Central Michigan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Central Michigan is $11,598 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at Central Michigan

#10

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

Western Illinois University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. WIU is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s meteorology degrees to qualified students.

WIU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $13,942 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at Western Illinois University

#11

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s meteorology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UWM has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,222 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UWM.

Read full report on Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

#12

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, Indiana

Valparaiso University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Meteorology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Valparaiso University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Valparaiso, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Valpo, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Valparaiso University is $13,588 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Meteorology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology at Valpo

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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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