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2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

116 Ranked Colleges
5,312 Degrees Awarded
$9,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 46,740 people earned their degree in political science, making the major the 14th most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 5,729 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,312 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 116 colleges that offer a degree in political science. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great political science 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 political science 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

The poly sci 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 “Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

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. 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 Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 116 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 121 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $3,995 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northwestern University.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Northwestern University Political Science Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 116 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 106 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $2,800 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, 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 100%.

Full UChicago Political Science Report

#4 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 320 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $5,887 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at U-M

#4

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Notre Dame. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Notre Dame, Indiana. It awarded 181 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k list, Notre Dame has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Notre Dame is $15,609 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Political Science at Notre Dame

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 363 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $6,860 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Madison.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, 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 more about Political Science at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#7 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 259 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $8,464 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Political Science Report

#7

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#17 in overall quality

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 73 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,879 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Purdue.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Political Science at Purdue University - Main Campus

#8

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#22 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school awarded 92 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $6,192 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, 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.

Full IU Bloomington Political Science Report

#15 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 289 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $10,037 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State Political Science Report

#10

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

Indiana University - East did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Indiana University - East is a public institution located in Richmond, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - East is $5,002 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Political Science at IU East

#11

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. UW - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $10,124 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - River Falls Political Science Report

#12

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $9,795 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

With a ranking of #13, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 40 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $6,315 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Political Science at IUPUI

#14

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio
#10 in overall quality

Oberlin College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oberlin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oberlin, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Oberlin College is $11,560 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Oberlin College Political Science Report

#15

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 26 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,641 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Green Bay.

Read more about Political Science at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#16

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $11,433 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#17

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #17, University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a public institution located in Platteville, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,930 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Platteville.

Read full report on Political Science at University of Wisconsin - Platteville

#18

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Beloit, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Beloit College is $7,628 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Beloit College Political Science Report

#19

Denison University

Granville, Ohio
#9 in overall quality

Denison University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. Denison is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Granville, Ohio. It awarded 30 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

Denison also made our “Best Political Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $13,909 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree poly sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Denison.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Denison

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $9,938 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#21

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 42 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $12,156 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at UW - Whitewater

#22

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

With a ranking of #22, Purdue University Northwest did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Hammond, Indiana, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue University Northwest is $8,401 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at Purdue University Northwest

#23

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,323 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Illinois at Springfield.

Full UIS Political Science Report

#24

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Grand Valley State University is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 55 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $12,459 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at GVSU

#25

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $11,828 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Poly Sci students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Political Science at UW - Eau Claire

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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.

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