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

16 Ranked Colleges
165 Degrees Awarded
$16,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Photography is the 291st most popular major in the country with 2,438 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 297 photography graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 165 photography graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 16 colleges that offered a degree in photography. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great photography programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

More Ways to Rank Photography Schools

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 Photography 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 our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Photography 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 Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Photography (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s photography students in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,477 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Photography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UIUC Photography Report

#2

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s photography students in 2019-2020.

Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $5,483 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Photography Report

#3

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Grand Valley State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s photography degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k list, GVSU has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for GVSU is $11,578 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Photography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%.

Read more about Photography at Grand Valley State University

#4

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ferris State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Ferris State University is located in Big Rapids, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s photography degrees to qualified students.

Ferris also took the #9 spot in our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $7,207 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ferris State University.

Read more about Photography at Ferris State University

#5

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oakland University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Oakland is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 7 bachelors’s photography degrees in 2019-2020.

Oakland not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $7,490 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Photography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Oakland University.

Read full report on Photography at Oakland

#6

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio
#12 in overall quality

Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Youngstown State University is a public institution located in Youngstown, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Youngstown State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Youngstown State University is $9,069 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Photography at Youngstown State University

#7

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

Bradley University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Bradley is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s photography degrees to qualified students.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,205 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bradley University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Bradley Photography Report

#8

Shawnee State University

Portsmouth, Ohio
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Shawnee State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Portsmouth, Ohio, this small public school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s photography students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k list, Shawnee State University has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,697 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Photography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Shawnee State University.

Full Shawnee State University Photography Report

#9

University of Dayton

Dayton, Ohio
#3 in overall quality

University of Dayton landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Dayton is located in Dayton, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s photography degrees to qualified students.

UDayton also took the #3 spot in our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UDayton is $24,237 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Photography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UDayton Photography Report

#13 in overall quality

University of Akron Main Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a public institution located in Akron, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Akron Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $14,816 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.

Read more about Photography at University of Akron Main Campus

#11

Indiana Wesleyan University

Marion, Indiana
#11 in overall quality

Indiana Wesleyan University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Marion, Indiana, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s photography degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at IWU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana Wesleyan University is $17,450 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Photography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Photography at IWU

#12

Columbia College Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#7 in overall quality

Columbia College Chicago did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 44 degrees to qualified bachelors’s photography students in 2019-2020.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $27,120 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Columbia College Chicago Photography Report

#6 in overall quality

Columbus College of Art and Design came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Columbus College of Art and Design is a private not-for-profit institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CCAD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Columbus College of Art and Design is $23,324 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Photography at CCAD

#14

Art Academy of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio
#14 in overall quality

Art Academy of Cincinnati landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. AAC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cincinnati, Ohio. It awarded 5 bachelors’s photography degrees in 2019-2020.

AAC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend AAC is $19,076 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography 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.

Read more about Photography at AAC

#15

American Academy of Art

Chicago, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

American Academy of Art did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s photography students in 2019-2020.

The Academy not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $23,987 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The Academy.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full American Academy of Art Photography Report

#16

College for Creative Studies

Detroit, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

College for Creative Studies did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Photography Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. Detroit, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s photography degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree photography students whose families make $0-$30k list, CCS has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Photography Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CCS is $32,795 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Photography students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Photography at CCS

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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.

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