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2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region

122 Ranked Colleges
18,538 Degrees Awarded
$14,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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” ranking, we looked at 122 colleges that offer a degree in social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social sciences programs, but they also 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Social Sciences Schools

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences in the Great Lakes Region

#1

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

Out of the 122 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #1 spot on the list. UW - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 88 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,748 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls.

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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UW - River Falls

#20 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - 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 UW - La Crosse is $14,580 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

#3

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, Wisconsin
#25 in overall quality

Out of the 122 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Stout landed the #3 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stout also made our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #25. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stout is $15,839 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 - Stout Social Sciences Report

Out of the 122 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #4 spot on the list. UW - Whitewater is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 179 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,249 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.

Full UW - Whitewater Social Sciences Report

#5

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school situated in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It awarded 134 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,465 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students per year to attend UW - Stevens Point.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#6

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Hammond, Indiana, this medium-sized public school awarded 55 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue Northwest is $11,250 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Full Purdue University Northwest Social Sciences Report

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. 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.

It costs about $14,395 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Social Sciences Report

#8

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Platteville ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Platteville is a public institution located in Platteville, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Platteville is $15,718 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

Full UW - Platteville Social Sciences Report

With a ranking of #9, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Edwardsville, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 126 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $14,423 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UW Oshkosh is a fairly large public school situated in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It awarded 131 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $15,463 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend UW Oshkosh.

Full UW Oshkosh Social Sciences Report

#11

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 130 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $16,020 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

Read more about Social Sciences at UW - Eau Claire

#12

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. NIU is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 206 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $18,259 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

Read more about Social Sciences at Northern Illinois University

#13

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Eastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 72 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,607 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend EIU.

Read full report on Social Sciences at EIU

#14

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

Western Illinois University 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 ranking. Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 52 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $16,210 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students per year to attend Western Illinois University.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Western Illinois University

Southern Illinois University Carbondale landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. SIUC is a fairly large public school situated in Carbondale, Illinois. It awarded 137 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SIUC is $16,945 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

#16

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University 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 ranking. Grand Valley State University is a large school located in Allendale, Michigan that handed out 238 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $17,646 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students.

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

Read full report on Social Sciences at GVSU

#17

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois
#24 in overall quality

Illinois State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 257 students in 2019-2020.

Illinois State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Illinois State is $20,895 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Illinois State

University of Wisconsin - Parkside ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Parkside is a small public school situated in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It awarded 48 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,327 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Parkside.

Full UW - Parkside Social Sciences Report

#19

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. Western Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 135 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend WMU is $19,433 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Read more about Social Sciences at WMU

#20

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

With a ranking of #20, Indiana University - East did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Richmond, Indiana, this small public school awarded 20 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IU East is $7,722 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Indiana University - East

#21

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. 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.

It costs about $12,477 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend UIS.

Read more about Social Sciences at UIS

#22

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

Youngstown State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Youngstown State University is $11,947 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Full Youngstown State University Social Sciences Report

Wright State University - Lake Campus ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Wright State University - Lake Campus is a small school located in Celina, Ohio that handed out 5 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,099 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend Wright State University - Lake Campus.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Wright State University - Lake Campus

#24

National Louis University

Chicago, Illinois

National Louis University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. National Louis University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend NLU is $14,957 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at National Louis University

#25

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#14 in overall quality

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 290 bachelors’s social sciences 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. It costs about $13,986 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students per year to attend Purdue.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Purdue

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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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