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2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

122 Ranked Colleges
18,538 Degrees Awarded
$7,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 205,726 social sciences students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,801 and had an average of $23,466 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 22,091 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,186 and $24,310 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 18,538 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 122 colleges that offer a degree in social sciences. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social sciences programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social sciences program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 122 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #1 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 555 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwestern has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $1,866 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Full Northwestern Social Sciences Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 603 bachelors’s social sciences 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 Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $2,712 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, 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 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at UChicago

#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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 1,124 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

U-M also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $3,166 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Social Sciences Report

#5 in overall quality

Out of the 122 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1,093 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,367 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Social Sciences Report

#7 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 867 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $5,477 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UIUC

#6

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#3 in overall quality

University of Notre Dame ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 485 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $12,498 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Notre Dame

#7

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#14 in overall quality

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 290 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Purdue also took the #14 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,483 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, 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 93%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Social Sciences Report

#8

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 394 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #21 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $4,969 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 Social Sciences at IU Bloomington

#9

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#16 in overall quality

Michigan State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 831 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k list, Michigan State has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $6,686 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Full Michigan State University Social Sciences Report

#13 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Ohio State is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 1,148 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $8,194 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#11

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio
#11 in overall quality

Oberlin College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oberlin, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 122 students in 2019-2020.

Oberlin also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $9,037 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Oberlin College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Oberlin College

#12

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin
#20 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW - La Crosse is a fairly large school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 189 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - La Crosse also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $7,939 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

#13

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

Indiana University - East did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. IU East is a small public school situated in Richmond, Indiana. It awarded 20 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IU East is $3,622 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at IU East

#14

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - River Falls came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 88 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $8,366 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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 University of Wisconsin - River Falls Social Sciences Report

#15

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Hammond, Indiana. It awarded 55 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,911 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue University Northwest.

Read more about Social Sciences at Purdue University Northwest

#16

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 134 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Stevens Point is $11,446 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UW - Stevens Point

#17

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Whitewater, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 179 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $11,868 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at UW - Whitewater

#18

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,337 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Green Bay.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Social Sciences Report

#19

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#25 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stout landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 35 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Stout is $10,695 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - Stout Social Sciences Report

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 140 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,052 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IUPUI.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

#21

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #21, University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW - Platteville is a medium-sized school located in Platteville, Wisconsin that handed out 18 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Platteville is $12,117 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Platteville

#22

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Beloit, Wisconsin, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 90 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Beloit is $8,574 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Beloit

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SIUE is a fairly large school located in Edwardsville, Illinois that handed out 126 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $8,055 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

With a ranking of #24, University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Parkside is a public institution located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,652 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Parkside.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Parkside

#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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large school located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that handed out 130 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $11,528 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Sciences 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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