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2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

103 Ranked Colleges
2,838 Degrees Awarded
$14,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Sociology is the 24th most popular major in the country with 37,807 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 Getting Aid” 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.

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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. 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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

#1

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 95 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Purdue also took the #8 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue is $13,986 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Sociology Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 97 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

UW - Madison did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $17,708 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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 Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Madison

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 65 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is $15,880 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

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

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Sociology Report

Out of the 103 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - La Crosse, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $14,580 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid per year to attend UW - La Crosse.

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%. 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 Sociology at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

#5

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University Northwest. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Purdue Northwest is located in Hammond, Indiana and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 43 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Purdue Northwest is $11,250 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Full Purdue University Northwest Sociology Report

#6

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

Indiana University - East landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid 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 estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - East is $7,722 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Full Indiana University - East Sociology Report

#7

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid list, IU Bloomington has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,253 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid per year to attend IU Bloomington.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read more about Sociology at IU Bloomington

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 139 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid list, U-M has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $15,336 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on Sociology at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

With a ranking of #9, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 22 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $15,249 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Full UW - Whitewater Sociology Report

University of Wisconsin - Parkside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. This small school is located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Parkside is $11,327 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Read more about Sociology at UW - Parkside

#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 Getting Aid list. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school situated in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It awarded 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 estimated yearly cost for UW - Stevens Point is $14,465 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Sociology Report

University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 66 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,312 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid per year to attend UIC.

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%.

Read full report on Sociology at UIC

#13

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #13, 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 Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,748 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

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%.

Read full report on Sociology at UW - River Falls

#14

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 91 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also took the #13 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,173 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid per year to attend Michigan State.

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

Full Michigan State University Sociology Report

#15

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. NIU is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 72 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $18,259 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

Read full report on Sociology at NIU

#16

Indiana University - South Bend

South Bend, Indiana

With a ranking of #16, 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 Getting Aid list. South Bend, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - South Bend is $8,717 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

Read full report on Sociology at Indiana University - South Bend

#17

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 69 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is $17,876 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Read more about Sociology at UWM

#17

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #17, Ball State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Ball State is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 38 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $15,147 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Read full report on Sociology at Ball State

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

Read more about Sociology at UW Oshkosh

#20

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier 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 Getting Aid ranking. Saint Xavier University 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.

It costs about $14,528 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid per year to attend Saint Xavier University.

Read full report on Sociology at SXU

#21

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Charleston, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,607 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid per year to attend EIU.

Read full report on Sociology at EIU

#21

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 17 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $16,020 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

#23

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

With a ranking of #23, University of Southern Indiana did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Evansville, Indiana, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend USI is $13,437 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at University of Southern Indiana

#24

Indiana University - Southeast

New Albany, Indiana

Indiana University - Southeast ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Indiana University - Southeast is a public institution located in New Albany, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Southeast is $10,657 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students with aid.

Read full report on Sociology at Indiana University - Southeast

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $11,285 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students with aid.

Full IUPUI Sociology 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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Kontos.

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