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2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

122 Ranked Colleges
18,538 Degrees Awarded
$32,720 Avg Salary
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 122 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the social sciences program at the school. 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 $48-$75k” 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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 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 $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #1 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 603 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $7,934 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Chicago

#2

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 $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northwestern University is a large school located in Evanston, Illinois that handed out 555 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $6,452 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Northwestern University Social Sciences Report

#4 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 $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 1,124 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 $48-$75k list, U-M has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $10,028 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#4

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#3 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 $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Notre Dame landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 485 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $17,768 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Full University of Notre Dame Social Sciences Report

#5 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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 1,093 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 $48-$75k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $13,227 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

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

#6

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 290 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $9,654 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 Social Sciences at Purdue University - Main Campus

#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 867 students 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. It costs about $13,351 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UIUC.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UIUC

#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,148 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State is $13,982 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

#9

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#21 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. IU Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 394 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $12,060 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Full Indiana University - Bloomington Social Sciences Report

#10

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin
#20 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $13,304 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

#11

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #11, Beloit College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Beloit is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 90 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Beloit is $10,769 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive 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. 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%.

Full Beloit College Social Sciences Report

#12

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 $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. Indiana University - East is located in Richmond, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for IU East is $9,723 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Indiana University - East

Wright State University - Lake Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Celina, Ohio, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Wright State University - Lake Campus is $12,664 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Social Sciences at Wright State University - Lake Campus

#14

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 134 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,165 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

Read more about Social Sciences at UW - Stevens Point

#15

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized public school situated in River Falls, Wisconsin. It awarded 88 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,474 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - River Falls Social Sciences Report

#16

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay 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 $48-$75k ranking. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 61 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $14,584 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Social Sciences Report

#17

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 26 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UIS is $11,857 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Illinois at Springfield Social Sciences Report

#18

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Purdue University Northwest is a public institution located in Hammond, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Purdue Northwest is $13,449 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Purdue Northwest Social Sciences Report

#19

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#25 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stout ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and it awarded 35 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 $48-$75k list, UW - Stout has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Stout is $15,235 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#20

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 179 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $14,941 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#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 $48-$75k list. UW - Platteville is a medium-sized school located in Platteville, Wisconsin that handed out 18 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,152 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Platteville.

Read more about Social Sciences at UW - Platteville

With a ranking of #22, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 290 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $13,683 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago

#23

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois 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 $48-$75k ranking. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 120 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $19,691 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, 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 90%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Wheaton College Illinois

#24

Denison University

Granville, Ohio
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, Denison University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Denison is a small school located in Granville, Ohio that handed out 148 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Denison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $22,652 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Denison.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Sciences at Denison University

With a ranking of #25, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 126 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $13,705 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Social Sciences Report

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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