2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
General Education is the 35th most popular major in the country with 29,936 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, general education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,138 and had an average of $29,674 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 3,216 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,306 and $27,810 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,408 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 37 colleges that offered a degree in general education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general education programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
The education school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.
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. 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 Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
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 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 119 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
U-M also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on General Education at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
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 #2 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 169 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 186 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Purdue also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #4 spot on the list. IU Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 2 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Michigan State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 39 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan State University are $37,056, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Columbus, Ohio. It awarded 216 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Ohio State also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State are $37,141, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on General Education at Ohio State University - Main Campus
University of Wisconsin - Platteville came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Platteville is a public institution located in Platteville, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 32 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Platteville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Platteville are $18,226.
Read full report on General Education at University of Wisconsin - Platteville
With a ranking of #8, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 39 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Stevens Point also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point are $19,178, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Wisconsin - Stout did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. University of Wisconsin - Stout is a medium-sized public school situated in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It awarded 63 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Stout also took the #7 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Stout are $16,851, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about General Education at University of Wisconsin - Stout
University of Michigan - Flint did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Flint, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k list, UM Flint has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UM Flint are $18,202, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Purdue University Northwest came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Purdue Northwest is a public institution located in Hammond, Indiana. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 41 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Purdue Northwest has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University Northwest are $11,633, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Grand Valley State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school handed out 34 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.
GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Grand Valley State University are $17,448.
University of Michigan - Dearborn landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Michigan - Dearborn is a public institution located in Dearborn, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 31 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UM Dearborn also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Dearborn are $25,072, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on General Education at University of Michigan - Dearborn
Saint Xavier University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 2 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at SXU are $15,450, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Central Michigan University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, and it awarded 2 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Central Michigan University are $19,359, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Northern Illinois University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Northern Illinois University is located in Dekalb, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about General Education at Northern Illinois University
Aquinas College Michigan did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Aquinas College Michigan is a small school located in Grand Rapids, Michigan that handed out 20 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Aquinas College Michigan also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Aquinas College Michigan are $11,184, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. WIU is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 14 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at WIU are $11,996, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #19, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Elmhurst University is located in Elmhurst, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
Elmhurst not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Elmhurst University are $32,300.
Cedarville University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Cedarville is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Cedarville, Ohio. It awarded 5 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree education students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cedarville has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cedarville are $9,065, but some majors have different tuition rates.
John Carroll University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. John Carroll University is located in University Heights, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
John Carroll also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at John Carroll University are $15,957, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on General Education at John Carroll University
McKendree University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. McKendree is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lebanon, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
McKendree did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at McKendree are $9,324.
Read full report on General Education at McKendree University
With a ranking of #23, Valparaiso University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Valparaiso, Indiana, and it awarded 6 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Valpo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Valparaiso University are $12,220, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Quincy University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Quincy University is a small school located in Quincy, Illinois that handed out 20 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Quincy University are $12,000, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Baldwin Wallace University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. This small school is located in Berea, Ohio, and it awarded 9 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Baldwin Wallace College, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Baldwin Wallace University are $11,191, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on General Education at Baldwin Wallace University
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Best General Education Master's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
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Most Popular Master's Degree Online General Education Schools
General Education students in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
General Education students with family income less than $30k in the Great Lakes Region
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General Education students with family income $48-$75k in the Great Lakes Region
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General Education students with family income exceeding $110k in the Great Lakes Region
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region
General Education students with family income $30-$48k in the Great Lakes Region
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region
General Education students with family income $75-$110k in the Great Lakes Region
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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