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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

103 Ranked Colleges
2,819 Degrees Awarded
$7,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Sociology is the 20th most popular major in the country with 37,747 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 3,219 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,819 sociology graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 103 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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

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 Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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 $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Sociology (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 29 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #2 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $1,866 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%.

Read full report on Sociology at Northwestern University

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

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 $0-$30k list. UChicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 31 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $2,712 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Chicago.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 impressive 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.

Read more about Sociology at UChicago

#4 in overall quality

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 $0-$30k. 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.

U-M also took the #4 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Sociology Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 78 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

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 yearly cost to attend UW - Madison is $4,367 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 - Madison Sociology Report

#7 in overall quality

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 #5 for the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 65 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $5,477 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Sociology at UIUC

#6

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#8 in overall quality

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 95 students in 2019-2020.

Purdue not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,483 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. 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 University - Main Campus

#7

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 35 degrees to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k list, Notre Dame has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $12,498 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Full Notre Dame Sociology Report

#8

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#19 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. IU 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.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Bloomington is $4,969 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Sociology at Indiana University - Bloomington

#9

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. East Lansing, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 91 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Michigan State, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $6,686 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Michigan State Sociology Report

#12 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Ohio State is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 87 bachelors’s sociology degrees to qualified students.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,194 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#11

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin
#14 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 52 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

UW - La Crosse also took the #14 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $7,939 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - La Crosse.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Sociology at UW - La Crosse

#12

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#24 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. UW - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 97 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Stevens Point, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $11,446 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Sociology Report

#13

Oberlin College

Oberlin, Ohio
#16 in overall quality

Oberlin College 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 $0-$30k ranking. Oberlin is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oberlin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Oberlin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Sociology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Oberlin College is $9,037 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Sociology at Oberlin

#14

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue University Northwest is a medium-sized school located in Hammond, Indiana that handed out 43 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,911 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue Northwest.

Full Purdue Northwest Sociology Report

#15

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $11,868 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Sociology at UW - Whitewater

#16

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

Indiana University - East came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k 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 $3,622 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full IU East Sociology Report

#17

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in River Falls, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $8,366 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

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 Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. UW - Parkside is a small public school situated in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It awarded 22 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Parkside is $6,652 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Sociology at University of Wisconsin - Parkside

#19

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

University of Southern Indiana did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. USI is a public institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,244 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USI.

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%.

Full USI Sociology Report

#20

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Beloit College is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 19 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Beloit College is $8,574 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Sociology at Beloit College

#21

Indiana University - South Bend

South Bend, Indiana

Indiana University - South Bend came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Indiana University - South Bend is a small school located in South Bend, Indiana that handed out 4 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - South Bend is $4,641 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Sociology at Indiana University - South Bend

#22

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #22, Ball State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ball State University is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Ball State University is $8,403 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Ball State University Sociology Report

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Edwardsville, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s sociology degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,055 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Full SIUE Sociology Report

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, this large public school awarded 30 degrees to qualified bachelors’s sociology students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IUPUI is $5,052 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full IUPUI Sociology Report

#25

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Sociology Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. NIU is a fairly large public school situated in Dekalb, Illinois. It awarded 72 bachelors’s sociology degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend NIU is $15,281 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree sociology students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Sociology at NIU

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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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