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2023 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Political Science in the Great Lakes Region

41 Ranked Colleges
236 Degrees Awarded
$30,200 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Political Science is the 13th most popular major in the country with 47,549 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 5,677 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 236 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s” ranking looked at 41 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in political science. To top this list, a school must have a successful political science program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

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 “Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s”.

1

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Springfield. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. University of Illinois at Springfield is a small public school situated in Springfield, Illinois. It awarded 27 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Read full report on Political Science at UIS

2
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Illinois University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 25 degrees to qualified masters’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

Full Eastern Illinois University Political Science Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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%.

Full UW - Madison Political Science Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Ohio State is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 14 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Ohio State Political Science Report

5
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hillsdale College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Hillsdale College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hillsdale, Michigan. It awarded 13 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Political Science at Hillsdale College

6
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University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 12 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read more about Political Science at University of Chicago

6
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Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 12 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%. The undergraduate 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.

Read full report on Political Science at Northwestern University

8

With a ranking of #8, Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Ohio University - Athens Campus is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Political Science at Ohio University - Athens Campus

8

With a ranking of #8, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Located in Oxford, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Miami University - Oxford

10
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #10, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 10 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.

Read full report on Political Science at Purdue

11
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Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified masters’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

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

Read full report on Political Science at Marquette University

12

Illinois State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Located in Normal, Illinois, this large public school awarded 8 degrees to qualified masters’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

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 Illinois State University

13
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 7 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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. 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%.

Full Notre Dame Political Science Report

14

Northeastern Illinois University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s poly sci degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Political Science at Northeastern Illinois University

14
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Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

With a ranking of #14, Governors State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. GSU is located in University Park, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6 masters’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Political Science at GSU

14

Western Illinois University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified masters’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Political Science at WIU

17

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 5 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at U-M

17
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #17. Western Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 5 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Political Science at Western Michigan University

17

Northern Illinois University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 5 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Political Science at Northern Illinois University

17

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 5 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Full University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Political Science Report

21
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Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

With a ranking of #21, Wayne State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Wayne State University is a large public school situated in Detroit, Michigan. It awarded 4 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Political Science at Wayne State University

22

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 masters’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

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

Full IU Bloomington Political Science Report

22

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. This large school is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and it awarded 3 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UC Political Science Report

22

Kent State University at Kent did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #22. Kent State University at Kent is a public institution located in Kent, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Political Science at Kent State University at Kent

22
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 3 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Michigan State University

22
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #22. Ball State University is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 3 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about Political Science at Ball State

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