2023 Best Value Colleges for General Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
21
Ranked Colleges
568
Degrees Awarded
$10,100
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
General Social Sciences is the 54th most popular major in the country with 18,997 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, general social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $32,991 and had an average of $24,438 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 568 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,813 and $28,816 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 21 colleges that offer a degree in general social sciences. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general social sciences 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 general social sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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 Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 21 Best Value Colleges for General Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 185 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $2,500 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at UChicago
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwestern has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $245 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about General Social Sciences at Northwestern University
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools 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. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 9 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
U-M also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $2,670 for great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at U-M
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan State University landed the #4 spot on the list. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 131 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $6,927 for great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at Michigan State
Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $7,068 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at Ohio State University - Main Campus
University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
UW - River Falls did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,438 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Social Sciences at UW - River Falls
University of Michigan - Dearborn ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dearborn, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, UM Dearborn has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Dearborn is $9,113 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad 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%.
Full University of Michigan - Dearborn General Social Sciences Report
University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Menomonie, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 20 students in 2020-2021.
UW - Stout also took the #12 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,074 for great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Stout.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wisconsin - Stout General Social Sciences Report
With a ranking of #9, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Grand Valley State University is a large school located in Allendale, Michigan that handed out 37 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at GVSU, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $10,259 for great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad 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 Grand Valley State University General Social Sciences Report
University of Southern Indiana did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Evansville, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, USI has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USI is $7,815 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at University of Southern Indiana
Indiana University - Southeast landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in New Albany, Indiana, and it awarded 3 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Indiana University - Southeast also made our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Southeast is $7,587 for great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about General Social Sciences at Indiana University - Southeast
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Whitewater also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $8,143 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at UW - Whitewater
Eastern Michigan University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ypsilanti, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 3 students in 2020-2021.
Eastern Michigan also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Eastern Michigan University is $12,465 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Eastern Michigan General Social Sciences Report
Cleveland State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cleveland State University, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cleveland State University is $13,272 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about General Social Sciences at Cleveland State University
With a ranking of #15, Denison University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Denison University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Granville, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Denison also took the #7 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,242 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Denison.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Denison University General Social Sciences Report
With a ranking of #16, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and it awarded 5 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Central Michigan has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $10,805 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Central Michigan.
The undergrad 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 Central Michigan General Social Sciences Report
North Central College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. North Central is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Naperville, Illinois. It awarded 3 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
North Central also made our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for North Central College is $19,430 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 full report on General Social Sciences at North Central College
Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. OHIO Athens is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
OHIO Athens also made our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $17,614 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend OHIO Athens.
Read more about General Social Sciences at Ohio University - Athens Campus
University of Akron Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 3 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Akron Main Campus has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Akron Main Campus is $14,420 for Great Lakes Region Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full University of Akron Main Campus General Social Sciences Report
With a ranking of #20, Shawnee State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Shawnee State University is located in Portsmouth, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 10 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Shawnee State University has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Shawnee State University is $7,849 for great lakes region social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Shawnee State University General Social Sciences Report
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