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2023 Best Value Colleges for Sociology (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

79 Ranked Colleges
3,166 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Sociology Schools 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. 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 Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Sociology is the 25th most popular major in the country with 38,475 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, sociology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $31,426 and had an average of $24,587 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 3,166 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,085 and $25,610 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 79 colleges that offered a degree in sociology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality sociology programs that also have a lower cost than 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 sociology program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

1
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $5,849 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Northwestern University Sociology Report

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 79 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 68 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $8,375 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 UChicago Sociology Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 155 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, U-M has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $10,481 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full U-M Sociology Report

4
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 119 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,450 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Purdue University - Main Campus.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at Purdue

5

Out of the 79 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 152 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $10,364 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UW - Madison Sociology Report

6

With a ranking of #6, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 66 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $12,369 for great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at IU Bloomington

7
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 54 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, Notre Dame has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $14,020 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at Notre Dame

8

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 75 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $11,505 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Sociology at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

9

With a ranking of #9, Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 107 diplomas to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, Ohio State has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $13,273 for great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about Sociology at Ohio State

10
Kenyon crest
Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

Kenyon College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Kenyon College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Gambier, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, Kenyon has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kenyon is $20,727 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Sociology at Kenyon College

11
Beloit crest
Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #11, Beloit College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This small school is located in Beloit, Wisconsin, and it awarded 11 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

Beloit also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Beloit is $10,850 for great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, 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.

Read full report on Sociology at Beloit College

12

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. UIC is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 81 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k list, UIC has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $14,105 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at UIC

13
Oakland crest
Oakland University
Rochester Hills, Michigan

With a ranking of #13, Oakland University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Oakland University is a public institution located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 36 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,008 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Oakland.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at Oakland

14

University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

UW - River Falls also took the #23 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $14,528 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

15

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UW - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Whitewater not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Whitewater is $14,226 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

16
DePauw crest
DePauw University
Greencastle, Indiana

DePauw University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Greencastle, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at DePauw, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DePauw is $22,316 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Sociology at DePauw

17

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 43 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UW - La Crosse is $13,198 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

18
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. Detroit, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,612 for great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Wayne State University.

Read more about Sociology at Wayne State University

19

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 90 diplomas to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $13,560 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Sociology at UW - Stevens Point

20

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for IUPUI is $13,306 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

21

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Edwardsville, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,950 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SIUE.

Full SIUE Sociology Report

22

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #22. UW - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 39 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $14,737 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Sociology Report

23

With a ranking of #23, University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Parkside is a public institution located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The school has a small population, and it awarded 29 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Parkside is $12,061 for great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Parkside

24
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Charleston, Illinois, and it awarded 26 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,675 for great lakes region sociology students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend EIU.

Full Eastern Illinois University Sociology Report

25

With a ranking of #25, Purdue University Northwest did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue Northwest is a medium-sized public school situated in Hammond, Indiana. It awarded 31 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue University Northwest is $12,829 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full Purdue University Northwest Sociology Report

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