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2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy

11 Ranked Colleges
946 Degrees Awarded
$36,200 Avg Cost*
Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy

Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy” ranking.

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.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy” ranking, we looked at 11 colleges that offer a degree in public policy. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public policy programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the public policy program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Public Policy Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Public Policy Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region vets studying public policy.

Top 11 Best Public Policy Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 225 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

U-M also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 570 of the 47,907 students enrolled at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor were GI Bill® students, of which 325 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $27,058. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor offers credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

2
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy list. University of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 411 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 241 of the 17,834 students enrolled at UChicago were GI Bill® students, of which 113 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $18,948. To help with additional expenses, 58 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 UChicago Veteran Student Life Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region vets studying public policy list, Ohio State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Ohio State supports 61,369 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Ohio State Veteran Student Life Report

4

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 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 96 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 44,640 students enrolled at UW - Madison, 4 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Veteran Student Life Report

5

Out of the 11 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #5 spot on the list. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 29,390 students enrolled at IUPUI, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,439. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. IUPUI does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Read More…

6

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 27 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 33,518 students enrolled at UIC, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $23,878. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

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

Full University of Illinois at Chicago Veteran Student Life Report

7
DePaul crest
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy 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 vets studying public policy list, DePaul has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 21,922 students enrolled at DePaul University, 528 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 367 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,957. In addition to receiving other benefits, 101 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. DePaul University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

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

Read More…

8
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #8, Loyola University Chicago did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

Loyola Chicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 16,893 students enrolled at Loyola Chicago, 261 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 165 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $17,263. To help with additional expenses, 78 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Loyola Chicago Veteran Student Life Report

9
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.

Northwestern also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 22,603 students enrolled at Northwestern University were GI Bill® students, of which 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $399. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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 undergraduate students.

Read More…

10
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #10, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy list. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school awarded 30 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

Michigan State also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, Michigan State University supports 49,695 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,686. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Michigan State]](/colleges/michigan-state-university/student-life/veterans/)

11
Olivet Nazarene crest
Olivet Nazarene University
Bourbonnais, Illinois

Olivet Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Public Policy ranking, coming in at #11. Olivet Nazarene is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 4 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our great lakes region vets studying public policy list, Olivet Nazarene has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 57 of the 3,764 students enrolled at Olivet Nazarene University were GI Bill® students, of which 35 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,334. On top of their other funding sources, 11 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

Notes and References

References

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Footnotes

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