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2023 Best Value Colleges for International Relations (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

35 Ranked Colleges
1,290 Degrees Awarded
Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 13,117 people earned their degree in international relations, making the major the 63rd most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,290 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 35 colleges that offer a degree in international relations. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great international relations 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 international relations program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for International Relations (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 42 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,849 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern University.

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. 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.

Full Northwestern University International Relations Report

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UChicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 162 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $8,375 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 100%.

Read full report on International Relations at University of Chicago

3

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #3 spot on the list. IU Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 113 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $12,369 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations at Indiana University - Bloomington

4

Out of the 35 schools in the Best Value International Relations 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 #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 176 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $13,273 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Relations at Ohio State University - Main Campus

5
Beloit crest
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Beloit College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Beloit, Wisconsin, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

Beloit did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,850 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Beloit College.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on International Relations at Beloit College

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 20 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also took the #10 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $10,364 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations at UW - Madison

7
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Oakland University is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 16 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,008 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Oakland.

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%.

Full Oakland University International Relations Report

8

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 20 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, IUPUI has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $13,306 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis International Relations Report

9
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

With a ranking of #9, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 34 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $18,373 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Wheaton College Illinois International Relations Report

10

With a ranking of #10, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Grand Valley State University is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

GVSU also took the #13 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $15,277 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 International Relations Report

11

University of Southern Indiana did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Evansville, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, USI has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USI is $14,486 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full USI International Relations Report

12
Central Michigan crest
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 20 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

Central Michigan did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,720 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k 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 International Relations Report

13
Denison crest
Denison University
Granville, Ohio

Denison University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Denison University is located in Granville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Denison, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,607 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Denison University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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. 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%.

Read more about International Relations at Denison

14
Walsh crest
Walsh University
North Canton, Ohio

With a ranking of #14, Walsh University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Walsh University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in North Canton, Ohio. It awarded 5 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Walsh also took the #25 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Walsh is $16,394 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at Walsh

15
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #15, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 106 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also took the #9 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $20,557 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Michigan State.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations at Michigan State University

16

Indiana University - Southeast came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in New Albany, Indiana, this small public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Southeast is $12,931 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Indiana University - Southeast International Relations Report

17

Miami University - Oxford ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Oxford, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 91 students in 2020-2021.

Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $23,513 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Miami University - Oxford International Relations Report

18
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dominican U is a private not-for-profit institution located in River Forest, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Dominican U also took the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,838 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Dominican University.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad 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 full report on International Relations at Dominican U

19
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations 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 international relations degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,547 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Eastern Michigan.

Full Eastern Michigan International Relations Report

20
Northern Michigan University crest
Northern Michigan University
Marquette, Michigan

With a ranking of #20, Northern Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Marquette, Michigan, this medium-sized public school awarded 3 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Michigan University is $16,017 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Northern Michigan University International Relations Report

21

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cincinnati, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 42 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, UC has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC is $20,867 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, 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 88%.

Read full report on International Relations at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

22

Cleveland State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State University is $18,468 for Great Lakes Region International Relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on International Relations at Cleveland State University

23
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 39 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Marquette also took the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $25,377 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Marquette.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about International Relations at Marquette University

24
Knox crest
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Galesburg, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k list, Knox has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Knox College is $17,200 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 International Relations at Knox College

25
Wittenberg crest
Wittenberg University
Springfield, Ohio

Wittenberg University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wittenberg is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Springfield, Ohio. It awarded 7 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Wittenberg not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best International Relations Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,702 for great lakes region international relations students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wittenberg University.

Read more about International Relations at Wittenberg University

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