2023 Best Value Colleges for Geography (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region
38
Ranked Colleges
697
Degrees Awarded
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 4,954 people earned their degree in geography, making the major the 159th most popular in the United States.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 697 geography graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 38 colleges that offered a degree in geography. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great geography programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the geography 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
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” 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. 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 Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Geography (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Northwestern is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 8 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $5,849 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Read more about Geography at Northwestern University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 11 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $8,375 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read more about Geography at UChicago
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 40 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,364 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, 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 undergraduate students.
Read full report on Geography at UW - Madison
Out of the 38 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 13 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
UIUC also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $11,505 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
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 undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Geography at UIUC
Out of the 38 schools in the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 41 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,273 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read more about Geography at Ohio State University - Main Campus
Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. IU Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 15 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $12,369 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend IU Bloomington.
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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Indiana University - Bloomington Geography Report
University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 10 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - River Falls also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #10. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $14,528 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UW - River Falls Geography Report
With a ranking of #8, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
UW - La Crosse also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend UW - La Crosse is $13,198 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Geography at UW - La Crosse
With a ranking of #9, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 26 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k list, SIUE has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $12,950 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Geography at SIUE
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 26 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
UW - Eau Claire also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $14,737 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Geography at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large school located in Whitewater, Wisconsin that handed out 40 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Whitewater did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $14,226 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read full report on Geography at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Central Michigan University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Central Michigan 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 geography students whose families make $48-$75k list, Central Michigan has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan University is $15,720 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Central Michigan University Geography Report
Ball State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. Ball State University is located in Muncie, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
Ball State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $15,158 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography at Ball State
With a ranking of #14, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 7 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $12,675 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Eastern Illinois University.
Full Eastern Illinois University Geography Report
Chicago State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small public school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,678 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSU.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Geography at CSU
Indiana State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana State is a public institution located in Terre Haute, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Indiana State also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #25. The yearly cost to attend Indiana State University is $15,588 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about Geography at Indiana State
With a ranking of #17, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Grand Valley State University is located in Allendale, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s geography degrees to qualified students.
GVSU also took the #24 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Grand Valley State University is $15,277 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Geography at GVSU
Eastern Michigan University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Ypsilanti, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 8 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k list, Eastern Michigan has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,547 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Eastern Michigan.
Read more about Geography at Eastern Michigan
University of Wisconsin - Parkside landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Parkside is a small school located in Kenosha, Wisconsin that handed out 14 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for UW - Parkside is $12,061 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wisconsin - Parkside Geography Report
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Stevens Point, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 10 students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $13,560 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Read more about Geography at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Illinois State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Illinois State University is a large public school situated in Normal, Illinois. It awarded 32 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Illinois State also took the #9 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State University is $19,293 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
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 Geography at Illinois State University
With a ranking of #22, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 24 degrees to qualified ’s geography students in 2020-2021.
Michigan State also took the #7 spot in our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $20,557 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Geography at Michigan State
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 8 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW Oshkosh is $14,157 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about Geography at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s geography degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.
UWM also made our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,606 for great lakes region geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
Read more about Geography at UWM
With a ranking of #25, Valparaiso University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Valparaiso, Indiana, and it awarded 5 ’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Valpo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Geography Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Valparaiso University is $21,256 for Great Lakes Region Geography students whose families make $48-$75k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.0% 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 Valpo Geography Report
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