2023 Best Value Colleges for Sociology in the Great Lakes Region
79
Ranked Colleges
3,166
Degrees Awarded
$15,800
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
For this year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 79 colleges that offer a degree in sociology. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality sociology programs that also have a lower cost than 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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. 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 in the Great Lakes Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Sociology in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 55 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Whitewater, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $14,417 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Out of the 79 schools in the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - River Falls landed the #2 spot on the list. River Falls, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - River Falls, the school also landed 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 $13,844 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. SIUE is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 27 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $14,462 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Read full report on Sociology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region. Northern Illinois University is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 80 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $13,956 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Full Northern Illinois University Sociology Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region. This fairly large school is located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and it awarded 43 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for UW - La Crosse is $14,654 for great lakes region sociology 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Sociology at UW - La Crosse
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 90 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $13,346 for great lakes region sociology students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Sociology Report
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 39 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $16,051 for great lakes region sociology students.
Read full report on Sociology at UW - Eau Claire
University of Akron Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a public institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $17,945 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.
Read more about Sociology at University of Akron Main Campus
Purdue University Northwest did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #9. Purdue Northwest is a medium-sized school located in Hammond, Indiana that handed out 31 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University Northwest is $11,384 for great lakes region sociology students.
Read full report on Sociology at Purdue University Northwest
With a ranking of #10, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 16 diplomas to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Western Illinois University is $15,305 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Read full report on Sociology at Western Illinois University
With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. UW Oshkosh is a fairly large public school situated in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It awarded 30 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend UW Oshkosh is $14,687 for great lakes region sociology students.
Read full report on Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh
Western Michigan University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. WMU is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 37 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for WMU is $20,371 for great lakes region sociology students.
Full Western Michigan University Sociology Report
With a ranking of #13, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 119 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
Purdue also made our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Purdue is $13,377 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
Read full report on Sociology at Purdue
With a ranking of #14, Illinois State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Normal, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 69 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region sociology students list, Illinois State has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Illinois State is $20,830 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
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%.
Read more about Sociology at Illinois State University
Eastern Illinois University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. EIU is located in Charleston, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $13,098 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students per year to attend EIU.
Full Eastern Illinois University Sociology Report
Central Michigan University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Central Michigan University is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 21 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $16,007 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Sociology at Central Michigan
With a ranking of #17, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 45 degrees to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.
UWM also took the #22 spot in our “Best Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UWM is $17,486 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Sociology Report
University of Wisconsin - Parkside ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Kenosha, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s sociology degrees to 29 students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $11,082 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students per year to attend UW - Parkside.
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
With a ranking of #19, Southern Illinois University Carbondale did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Carbondale, Illinois, and it awarded 12 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Carbondale is $16,285 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Read full report on Sociology at SIUC
With a ranking of #20, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Bowling Green, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 41 diplomas to qualified ’s sociology students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend BGSU is $18,558 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Full BGSU Sociology Report
Grand Valley State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. GVSU is a large school located in Allendale, Michigan that handed out 20 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for GVSU is $17,356 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full GVSU Sociology Report
Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. OHIO Athens is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 83 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend OHIO Athens is $23,831 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Read full report on Sociology at OHIO Athens
Eastern Michigan University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Eastern Michigan University is a public institution located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $15,127 for great lakes region sociology students per year to attend Eastern Michigan.
Read full report on Sociology at Eastern Michigan University
Kent State University at Kent ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Kent State is located in Kent, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 50 ’s sociology degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Kent State University at Kent is $19,117 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Read full report on Sociology at Kent State University at Kent
Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Sociology Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #25. This fairly large school is located in Youngstown, Ohio, and it awarded 11 ’s sociology degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Youngstown State University is $12,225 for Great Lakes Region Sociology students.
Read more about Sociology at Youngstown State University
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