2023 Best Value Colleges for Public Policy (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
11
Ranked Colleges
946
Degrees Awarded
$10,300
Avg Net Price*
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 Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Public Policy is the 113th most popular major in the country with 6,430 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, public policy graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $49,451 and had an average of $21,866 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 946 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $49,270 and $20,394 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 11 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public policy. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent public policy programs, but they also 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 public policy program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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 Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 11 Best Value Colleges for Public Policy (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 411 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $2,500 for Great Lakes Region Public Policy students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. 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. 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%.
Read more about Public Policy at University of Chicago
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 45 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $245 for great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Northwestern.
The low undergrad 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Public Policy at Northwestern
Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 225 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k list, U-M has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $2,670 for Great Lakes Region Public Policy students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Public Policy at U-M
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 96 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Madison also made our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $3,981 for Great Lakes Region Public Policy students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.
Read full report on Public Policy at UW - Madison
Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #5 spot on the list. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
IUPUI also made our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $7,026 for Great Lakes Region Public Policy students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IUPUI.
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 full report on Public Policy at IUPUI
Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k list, Ohio State has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $7,068 for Great Lakes Region Public Policy students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Public Policy Report
Michigan State University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State is located in East Lansing, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k list, Michigan State has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State is $6,927 for great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Public Policy at Michigan State
University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIC has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $10,549 for great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Public Policy at UIC
Olivet Nazarene University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.
Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Olivet Nazarene University is $16,451 for Great Lakes Region Public Policy students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%.
Read full report on Public Policy at Olivet Nazarene
DePaul University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. DePaul University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 26 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k list, DePaul has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Public Policy Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul is $27,123 for great lakes region public policy students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.
Full DePaul University Public Policy Report
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