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2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

85 Ranked Colleges
5,677 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 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, 47,549 people earned their degree in political science, making the major the 13th most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 5,677 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 85 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.

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 Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

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

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

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 Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 140 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k list, Northwestern has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,849 for great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern University.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science at Northwestern

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 85 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 139 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also made our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $8,375 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Chicago Political Science Report

3

Out of the 85 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 285 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also made our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend U-M is $10,481 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Political Science at U-M

4
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 135 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $8,450 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

5

Out of the 85 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 424 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $10,364 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci 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.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Political Science Report

6
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 204 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

Notre Dame not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Notre Dame is $14,020 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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 University of Notre Dame Political Science Report

7

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 257 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

UIUC also made our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $11,505 for great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

8

Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. IU Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 141 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

IU Bloomington also took the #10 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,369 for great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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 IU Bloomington Political Science Report

9

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 277 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $13,273 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 more about Political Science at Ohio State

10
Kenyon crest
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This small school is located in Gambier, Ohio, and it awarded 26 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Kenyon also made our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $20,727 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Kenyon College.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science at Kenyon

11
Beloit crest
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Beloit is a private not-for-profit institution located in Beloit, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Beloit College is $10,850 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. 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.

Read more about Political Science at Beloit College

12

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 100 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $14,105 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Political Science Report

13

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. UW - La Crosse is a public institution located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $13,198 for great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. 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 UW - La Crosse

14
DePauw crest
DePauw University
Greencastle, Indiana

DePauw University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Greencastle, Indiana, and it awarded 20 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

DePauw not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend DePauw University is $22,316 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full DePauw Political Science Report

15
Wabash crest
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana

Wabash College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Crawfordsville, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 20 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

Wabash not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $19,742 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wabash.

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 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Wabash Political Science Report

16

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 33 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $13,306 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Read full report on Political Science at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

17
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Oakland University is a fairly large public school situated in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It awarded 44 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Oakland University is $12,008 for great lakes region poly sci 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%.

Full Oakland Political Science Report

18

University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 12 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - River Falls is $14,528 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - River Falls Political Science Report

19

University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 38 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Springfield is $11,492 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci 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 more about Political Science at UIS

20
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Detroit, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Wayne State is $13,612 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Wayne State University Political Science Report

21
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

With a ranking of #21, Eastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 33 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend EIU is $12,675 for great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Political Science at Eastern Illinois University

22

University of Michigan - Dearborn came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Dearborn, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 23 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UM Dearborn is $12,398 for great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at UM Dearborn

23

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #23. UW - Eau Claire is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 39 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,737 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Eau Claire.

Full UW - Eau Claire Political Science Report

24
Wheaton College Illinois crest
Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 22 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Wheaton College Illinois also made our “Best Political Science Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $18,373 for great lakes region poly sci students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. 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 more about Political Science at Wheaton College Illinois

25

Southern Illinois University Carbondale ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,499 for Great Lakes Region Poly Sci students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Read full report on Political Science at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

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