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

103 Ranked Colleges
2,838 Degrees Awarded
$29,473 Avg Salary
Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor's 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. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 37,807 people earned their degree in sociology, making the major the 24th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, sociology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,727 and had an average of $23,622 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 3,239 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,473 and $25,310 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,838 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 103 colleges that offer a degree in sociology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great sociology 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 sociology 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.

More Ways to Rank Sociology Schools

The sociology 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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

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

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

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

#1

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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $6,452 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northwestern University.

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. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Northwestern University Sociology Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $7,934 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%. 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.

Read more about Sociology at UChicago

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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 139 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $10,028 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 U-M Sociology Report

#4

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Out of the 103 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 95 degrees to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

Purdue also took the #8 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $9,654 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Sociology at Purdue University - Main Campus

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 97 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison also took the #6 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,227 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Sociology Report

#6

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 35 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also took the #3 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Notre Dame is $17,768 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive 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 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.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Notre Dame

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 65 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIUC has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,351 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UIUC.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Sociology at UIUC

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #12 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio State University - Main Campus is $13,982 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Sociology at Ohio State

#9

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $12,060 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IU Bloomington Sociology Report

#10

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. This fairly large school is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - La Crosse also made our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $13,304 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - La Crosse Sociology Report

#11

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 97 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $14,165 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#12

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Beloit is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 19 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

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

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Sociology at Beloit

#13

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

Indiana University - East came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Richmond, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 5 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - East is $9,723 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Sociology at Indiana University - East

#14

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Hammond, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University Northwest is $13,449 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Sociology at Purdue University Northwest

#15

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Whitewater is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Whitewater is $14,941 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

#16

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #16, University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - River Falls is a public institution located in River Falls, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,474 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 Sociology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

#17

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. Northern Illinois University is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 72 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NIU is $18,346 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Northern Illinois University Sociology Report

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 66 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

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

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Sociology Report

University of Wisconsin - Parkside landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Parkside is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Parkside is $12,166 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Parkside Sociology Report

#20

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 28 degrees to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend EIU is $13,560 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Sociology at Eastern Illinois University

#21

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SXU is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for SXU is $14,907 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Sociology at SXU

#22

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wheaton College Illinois is located in Wheaton, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wheaton College Illinois, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $19,691 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology 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 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.

Read more about Sociology at Wheaton College Illinois

With a ranking of #23, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

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

Read more about Sociology at SIUE

#24

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Oakland is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 18 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Oakland is $10,387 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Oakland Sociology Report

#25

Indiana University - South Bend

South Bend, Indiana

With a ranking of #25, Indiana University - South Bend did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Indiana University - South Bend is a small school located in South Bend, Indiana that handed out 4 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,585 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Indiana University - South Bend.

Read more about Sociology at Indiana University - South Bend

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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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Kontos.

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