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2023 Best General Social Sciences Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region

21 Ranked Colleges
568 Degrees Awarded
$29,200 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences

Veterans 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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences” 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.

This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences” ranking looked at 21 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general social sciences programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the general social sciences program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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The social sciences 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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences”.

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.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences”.

Top 21 Best General Social Sciences Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor supports 47,907 students, and 570 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 325 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $27,058. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full U-M Veteran Student Life Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 13 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 61,369 students enrolled at Ohio State, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Ohio State]](/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)

3
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences. University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 185 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 17,834 students enrolled at University of Chicago, 241 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 113 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,948. During this same period, 58 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read More…

4

Out of the 21 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #4 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 9 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - River Falls, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 5,855 students enrolled at University of Wisconsin - River Falls, 185 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 84 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,939. In addition to receiving other benefits, 16 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

Full University of Wisconsin - River Falls Veteran Student Life Report

5
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Michigan University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences. Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

Eastern Michigan also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, Eastern Michigan supports 16,294 students, and 486 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 265 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,462. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eastern Michigan does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Full Eastern Michigan Veteran Student Life Report

6

Grand Valley State University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences list. GVSU is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 37 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

GVSU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 23,350 students enrolled at GVSU, 479 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 198 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,686. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. GVSU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Veteran Student Life Report

7
North Central crest
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois

North Central College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking, coming in at #7. North Central College is a small school located in Naperville, Illinois that handed out 3 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

North Central not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 2,832 students enrolled at North Central College, 46 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 32 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,214. On top of their other funding sources, 15 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

8

University of Wisconsin - Stout came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking. Located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Stout, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 7,970 students enrolled at UW - Stout, 305 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 133 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,590. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 - Stout Veteran Student Life Report

9
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences 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.

Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Michigan State University supports 49,695 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,686. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Michigan State Veteran Student Life Report

10

University of Michigan - Dearborn came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking. University of Michigan - Dearborn is located in Dearborn, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

UM Dearborn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, UM Dearborn supports 8,783 students, and 159 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 111 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,134. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UM Dearborn does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Full UM Dearborn Veteran Student Life Report

11

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking, coming in at #11. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 2 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Whitewater not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 11,989 students enrolled at UW - Whitewater, 383 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 181 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,342. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UW - Whitewater does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

Read More…

12

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking, coming in at #12. OHIO Athens is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at OHIO Athens, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, OHIO Athens supports 25,714 students, and 726 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 324 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,725. In addition to receiving other benefits, 10 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

13
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking, coming in at #13. Central Michigan University is a public institution located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region vets studying social sciences list, Central Michigan has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Central Michigan supports 17,311 students, and 1 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $425. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Full Central Michigan University Veteran Student Life Report

14

Cleveland State University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences list. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

Cleveland State University also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Our most recent data shows that 411 of the 15,247 students enrolled at Cleveland State University were GI Bill® students, of which 169 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,076. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Read More…

15

With a ranking of #15, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences list. 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.

University of Akron Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 16,094 students enrolled at University of Akron Main Campus, 2 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,240. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Akron Main Campus]](/colleges/university-of-akron-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)

16

University of Southern Indiana ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences list. University of Southern Indiana is a public institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

USI also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 10,203 students enrolled at University of Southern Indiana, 162 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 87 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,638. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

Read More…

17
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 4 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region vets studying social sciences list, Northwestern has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 22,603 students enrolled at Northwestern were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $399. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

18

Indiana University - Southeast did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking, coming in at #18. Indiana University - Southeast is a small public school situated in New Albany, Indiana. It awarded 3 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Indiana University - Southeast did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 162 of the 4,678 students enrolled at Indiana University - Southeast were GI Bill® students, of which 91 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,005. During this same period, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Indiana University - Southeast]](/colleges/indiana-university-southeast/student-life/veterans/)

19
Shawnee State University crest
Shawnee State University
Portsmouth, Ohio

Shawnee State University ranked #19 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences list. This small school is located in Portsmouth, Ohio, and it awarded 10 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region vets studying social sciences list, Shawnee State University has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 3,485 students enrolled at Shawnee State University, 80 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 38 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,614. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

Read More…

20
Roosevelt crest
Roosevelt University
Chicago, Illinois

Roosevelt University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking. Roosevelt University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Roosevelt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Roosevelt supports 4,680 students, and 95 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 43 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,071. In addition to receiving other benefits, 20 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Roosevelt]](/colleges/roosevelt-university/student-life/veterans/)

21
Denison crest
Denison University
Granville, Ohio

Denison University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences ranking. Located in Granville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Denison, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Denison supports 2,258 students, and 15 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 5 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,672. During this same period, 4 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Read More…

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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