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2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s

74 Ranked Colleges
1,041 Degrees Awarded
$14,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 1,475 people earned their degree in urban studies, making the major the 210th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, urban studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $37,971 and had an average of $24,376 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,041 urban studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 74 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in urban studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great urban studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the urban studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Urban Studies

#1

The Graduate Center, CUNY

New York, New York
#16 in overall quality

Out of the 74 schools in the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, The Graduate Center, CUNY landed the #1 spot on the list. The Graduate Center is a medium-sized school located in New York, New York that handed out 6 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The Graduate Center also took the #16 spot in our “Best Urban Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking.

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. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban Studies at The Graduate Center, CUNY

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Minnesota State Mankato is located in Mankato, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s urban studies degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato is $16,221 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State Mankato Urban Studies Report

#3

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Cloud State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for St. Cloud State University is $14,267 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

Read more about Urban Studies at St. Cloud State University

Out of the 74 schools in the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Duluth, Minnesota, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth is $17,067 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 Urban Studies at University of Minnesota - Duluth

#5

Hunter College

New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hunter College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s. Hunter College is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Hunter is $2,490 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Hunter Urban Studies Report

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,395 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students per year to attend UW - Green Bay.

Full UW - Green Bay Urban Studies Report

#7

Queens College

Queens, New York

Queens College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Queens, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 37 degrees to qualified bachelors’s urban studies students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,067 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students per year to attend QC.

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 full report on Urban Studies at Queens College

#8

Worcester State University

Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Worcester State University is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s urban studies degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Worcester State is $19,492 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

Full Worcester State University Urban Studies Report

California State University - Northridge ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s list. California State University - Northridge is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 22 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $8,414 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Northridge Urban Studies Report

#10

University of New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana

University of New Orleans ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of New Orleans is a public institution located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of New Orleans is $11,193 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

Read more about Urban Studies at UNO

#11

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s urban studies degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UWM is $17,876 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students.

Full University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Urban Studies Report

University of Nevada - Las Vegas landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UNLV is a large public school situated in Las Vegas, Nevada. It awarded 27 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,424 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students per year to attend UNLV.

Read full report on Urban Studies at UNLV

#13

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio

With a ranking of #13, Cleveland State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 51 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s urban studies students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Cleveland State University is $17,278 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students.

Read full report on Urban Studies at Cleveland State University

#14

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school handed out 30 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s urban studies students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $15,113 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students.

Read full report on Urban Studies at San Francisco State University

#15

University of the District of Columbia

Washington, District of Columbia

With a ranking of #15, University of the District of Columbia did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of the District of Columbia is a small school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 10 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of the District of Columbia is $15,894 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Urban Studies at University of the District of Columbia

Wright State University - Main Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Dayton, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s urban studies students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,823 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students per year to attend Wright State University - Main Campus.

Full Wright State University - Main Campus Urban Studies Report

#17

Coppin State University

Baltimore, Maryland

Coppin State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this small public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s urban studies students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,686 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students per year to attend Coppin.

Read more about Urban Studies at Coppin State University

#18

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

Towson University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Towson is a public institution located in Towson, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Towson is $18,233 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban Studies at Towson

#19

Dillard University

New Orleans, Louisiana

Dillard University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This small school is located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Dillard University is $17,128 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students.

Read more about Urban Studies at Dillard University

#20

Tennessee State University

Nashville, Tennessee

Tennessee State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, this medium-sized public school handed out 12 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s urban studies students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Tennessee State University is $12,443 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students.

Full Tennessee State University Urban Studies Report

Ohio University - Athens Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Athens, Ohio, this large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s urban studies students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Ohio University - Athens Campus is $22,906 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students.

Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Urban Studies Report

#22

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 28 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Urban Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It costs about $17,740 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students per year to attend UMN Twin Cities.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Urban Studies at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#23

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 14 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,788 for bachelor’s degree urban studies students per year to attend San Diego State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Urban Studies at San Diego State University

University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. UIC is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s urban studies degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,312 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Urban Studies at University of Illinois at Chicago

#25

Buffalo State

Buffalo, New York

Buffalo State did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Urban Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. Buffalo State is a medium-sized school located in Buffalo, New York that handed out 5 bachelors’s urban studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Buffalo State is $12,960 for Bachelor’s Degree Urban Studies students.

Read more about Urban Studies at Buffalo State

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.

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