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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations in the Great Lakes Region

43 Ranked Colleges
1,094 Degrees Awarded
$18,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 13,616 people earned their degree in international relations, making the major the 54th most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 1,288 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,094 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 43 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the international relations 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.

More Ways to Rank International Relations Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grand Valley State University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students list, GVSU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,646 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend Grand Valley State University.

The low 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%.

Read more about International Relations at Grand Valley State University

#2

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana
#25 in overall quality

Out of the 43 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern Indiana landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Evansville, Indiana, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students list, USI has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern Indiana is $13,437 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at USI

#21 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Kent State University at Kent. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. Kent, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 17 students in 2019-2020.

Kent State also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend Kent State University at Kent is $18,885 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Read full report on International Relations at Kent State University at Kent

#4

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Out of the 43 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Central Michigan University landed the #4 spot on the list. Central Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan that handed out 25 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,981 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend Central Michigan.

Read more about International Relations at Central Michigan

#5

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Michigan University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Eastern Michigan is a fairly large public school situated in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It awarded 17 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan University is $15,924 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

Read full report on International Relations at Eastern Michigan University

#6

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan

Northern Michigan University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Marquette, Michigan, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Northern Michigan University is $15,453 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

Full Northern Michigan University International Relations Report

#7

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Cleveland State University is a public institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,278 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend Cleveland State University.

Read full report on International Relations at Cleveland State University

#16 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a public institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $21,843 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students.

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

Full UC International Relations Report

#9

Ashland University

Ashland, Ohio

With a ranking of #9, Ashland University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This small school is located in Ashland, Ohio, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Ashland is $20,111 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ashland University International Relations Report

#10

University of Toledo

Toledo, Ohio

With a ranking of #10, University of Toledo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Toledo is a fairly large public school situated in Toledo, Ohio. It awarded 3 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Toledo is $17,630 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

Read more about International Relations at University of Toledo

#6 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #11. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 178 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $17,616 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

The low 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

#12

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Rochester Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland University is $11,802 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Read full report on International Relations at Oakland

University of Akron Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Akron, Ohio, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $17,792 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Read full report on International Relations at University of Akron Main Campus

#14

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 34 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $25,358 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Wheaton College Illinois International Relations Report

#20 in overall quality

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $11,285 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students per year to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis International Relations Report

#16

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. IU Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 96 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $13,253 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, 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%.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington International Relations Report

#17

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 116 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $19,173 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend Michigan State.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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 more about International Relations at Michigan State

#18

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Bradley University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bradley University is a medium-sized school located in Peoria, Illinois that handed out 6 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students list, Bradley has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bradley University is $25,634 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Relations at Bradley

#7 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Miami University - Oxford is located in Oxford, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 121 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $24,323 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students per year to attend Miami University - Oxford.

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

Read more about International Relations at Miami University - Oxford

#20

Walsh University

North Canton, Ohio

Walsh University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Walsh is a private not-for-profit institution located in North Canton, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,075 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend Walsh University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at Walsh University

#21

Aquinas College Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Aquinas College Michigan did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. Aquinas College Michigan is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It awarded 2 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,549 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend Aquinas College Michigan.

Read more about International Relations at Aquinas College Michigan

#22

McKendree University

Lebanon, Illinois

McKendree University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Lebanon, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend McKendree is $19,844 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

Read full report on International Relations at McKendree

#23

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Dominican University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #23. Dominican U is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students list, Dominican U has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,268 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students per year to attend Dominican University.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Dominican University International Relations Report

#24

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Saint Xavier University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 2 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,528 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students per year to attend SXU.

Full Saint Xavier University International Relations Report

#25

Muskingum University

New Concord, Ohio

Muskingum University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Muskingum University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Concord, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $20,157 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students per year to attend Muskingum University.

Full Muskingum University International Relations 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 RepubFan12.

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