2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k
10
Ranked Colleges
808
Degrees Awarded
$23,300
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Area Studies is the 115th most popular major in the country with 6,966 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $33,127 and had an average of $20,927 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 808 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,342 and $21,486 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 10 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality area studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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 Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k.
Top 10 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. U-M is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 68 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $17,207 for great lakes region area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.
Read more about Area Studies at U-M
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 45 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Chicago is $19,895 for Great Lakes Region Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 100%.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Chicago
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 157 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $22,377 for Great Lakes Region Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national 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.
Full UW - Madison Area Studies Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. IU Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $20,234 for great lakes region area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Area Studies at IU Bloomington
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $22,400 for Great Lakes Region Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Area Studies Report
Miami University - Oxford did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Oxford, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 56 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Oxford is $26,704 for Great Lakes Region Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.
Read more about Area Studies at Miami University - Oxford
University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.
UIC also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $19,839 for Great Lakes Region Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 Area Studies at University of Illinois at Chicago
Oberlin College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Oberlin is a private not-for-profit institution located in Oberlin, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oberlin, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Oberlin College is $29,172 for Great Lakes Region Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Area Studies at Oberlin
Siena Heights University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Adrian, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
Siena Heights University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Siena Heights University is $22,504 for great lakes region area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
Full Siena Heights University Area Studies Report
DePaul University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. DePaul is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
DePaul also took the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend DePaul is $32,328 for Great Lakes Region Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Area Studies at DePaul University
