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

15 Ranked Colleges
68 Degrees Awarded
$24,900 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Geography Schools for a Master's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Geography is the 144th most popular major in the country with 5,476 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 776 geography graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 68 geography graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 15 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in geography. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great geography programs and 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 geography program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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 Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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. 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 Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 15 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Geography (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 4 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523.

Read full report on Geography at UW - Madison

#2 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 #2 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Geography Report

#3

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Michigan State is located in East Lansing, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 masters’s geography degrees to qualified students.

Michigan State also made our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State are $37,056, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Michigan State Geography Report

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 15 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s 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 #4 spot on the list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 8 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State are $37,141, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geography at Ohio State

#5

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 3 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at IU Bloomington are $33,338, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Geography at IU Bloomington

#10 in overall quality

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 6 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

SIUE also took the #10 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SIUE are $9,300, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Geography Report

#7

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northern Illinois University is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s geography degrees to qualified students.

NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086.

Full Northern Illinois University Geography Report

#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 4 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, Miami University - Oxford has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Miami University - Oxford are $31,697.

Read more about Geography at Miami University - Oxford

#9

Indiana State University

Terre Haute, Indiana
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Indiana State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana State is a public institution located in Terre Haute, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Indiana State also took the #14 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana State are $15,346.

Read full report on Geography at Indiana State

#10

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

UWM also took the #11 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UWM are $25,295.

Full UWM Geography Report

#11

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Western Michigan University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Western Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 10 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

WMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at WMU are $31,355.

Read full report on Geography at WMU

#8 in overall quality

Kent State University at Kent landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Kent State University at Kent is a large public school situated in Kent, Ohio. It awarded 3 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

Kent State also made our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. Average graduate tuition and fees at Kent State University at Kent are $21,952, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geography at Kent State University at Kent

#13

University of Toledo

Toledo, Ohio
#13 in overall quality

University of Toledo came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Toledo, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geography degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Toledo has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Toledo are $27,067.

Full University of Toledo Geography Report

#14

Chicago State University

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Chicago State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chicago State University is a small public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 2 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSU are $15,056, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Geography at CSU

#9 in overall quality

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Geography Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Ohio University - Athens Campus is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 7 masters’s geography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree geography students whose families make $0-$30k list, OHIO Athens has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio University - Athens Campus are $17,712, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full OHIO Athens Geography 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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Couleur.

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