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2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k

19 Ranked Colleges
491 Degrees Awarded
$21,500 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k

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 Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Area Studies is the 106th most popular major in the country with 6,820 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,734 and had an average of $23,024 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 850 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,363 and $22,838 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 491 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 19 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent area studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $16,784 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Northwestern University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Northwestern

#2

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Notre Dame. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Notre Dame, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,392 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Notre Dame

#3

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $17,929 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UChicago Area Studies Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 55 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $18,039 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 Area Studies at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#5

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 8 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k list, Purdue has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,565 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Purdue.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Area Studies at Purdue University - Main Campus

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Madison, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 31 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $21,860 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school handed out 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. It costs about $21,998 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UIUC.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Michigan - Dearborn landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, this medium-sized public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UM Dearborn, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UM Dearborn is $14,132 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Michigan - Dearborn

#9

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Grand Valley State University is located in Allendale, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $20,113 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Grand Valley State University Area Studies Report

#10

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#10 in overall quality

Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $18,951 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington Area Studies Report

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

UIC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIC is $20,270 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%.

Full UIC Area Studies Report

#12

Siena Heights University

Adrian, Michigan

With a ranking of #12, Siena Heights University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Siena Heights University is a small school located in Adrian, Michigan that handed out 16 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k list, Siena Heights University has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,469 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Siena Heights University.

Read more about Area Studies at Siena Heights University

Miami University - Oxford came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large school located in Oxford, Ohio that handed out 55 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $26,226 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Miami University - Oxford.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Area Studies at Miami University - Oxford

#16 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #14. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also took the #16 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $21,364 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Ohio State Area Studies Report

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bowling Green, Ohio, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

BGSU also took the #17 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend BGSU is $20,277 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full BGSU Area Studies Report

#16

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large public school situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It awarded 5 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UWM, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $20,945 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

Full University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Area Studies Report

#17

Denison University

Granville, Ohio
#9 in overall quality

Denison University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Denison is a small school located in Granville, Ohio that handed out 6 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Denison also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend Denison is $26,544 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Area Studies at Denison University

Ohio University - Athens Campus came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Ohio University - Athens Campus is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

OHIO Athens also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Ohio University - Athens Campus is $25,039 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.

Full OHIO Athens Area Studies Report

#19

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. DePaul is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

DePaul also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $30,877 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend DePaul University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Area Studies at DePaul

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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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