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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Great Lakes Region

19 Ranked Colleges
491 Degrees Awarded
$28,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k

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 Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 6,820 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 106th most popular in the United States. 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 Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k” ranking analyzed 19 colleges that offered a degree 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.

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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $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 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.

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

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

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

#1

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #1 spot on the list. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $13,986 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Dearborn. The school came in at #2 for the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k. This medium-sized school is located in Dearborn, Michigan, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UM Dearborn also took 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 $11,473 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $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 full report on Area Studies at University of Michigan - Dearborn

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 31 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 more than $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 estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $17,708 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k list, U-M has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,336 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend U-M.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 full report on Area Studies at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#5

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Grand Valley State University landed the #5 spot on the list. Grand Valley State University is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GVSU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,646 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend GVSU.

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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at GVSU

#6

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. 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 $13,253 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Area Studies at Indiana University - Bloomington

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. UIUC is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also took the #6 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $15,880 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

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

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. University of Illinois at Chicago is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,312 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 University of Illinois at Chicago

Miami University - Oxford came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Oxford, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 55 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k list, Miami University - Oxford has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $24,323 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

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

Full Miami University - Oxford Area Studies Report

#10

Siena Heights University

Adrian, Michigan

Siena Heights University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. Siena Heights University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Adrian, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $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. The estimated yearly cost for Siena Heights University is $21,249 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

Read full report on Area Studies at Siena Heights University

With a ranking of #11, Bowling Green State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. BGSU is a fairly large school located in Bowling Green, Ohio that handed out 13 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at BGSU, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $18,394 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend BGSU.

Read full report on Area Studies at BGSU

#12

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
#18 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. UWM is a large school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 5 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 more than $110k list, UWM has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,876 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

Read full report on Area Studies at UWM

#16 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus is $17,616 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $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 student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State Area Studies Report

#14

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $24,664 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Northwestern.

The 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. The low student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Northwestern

Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #15 on this year’s Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. Ohio University - Athens Campus is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

OHIO Athens also took the #19 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for OHIO Athens is $22,906 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

Full OHIO Athens Area Studies Report

#16

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame did quite well in the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #16. Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Notre Dame also took the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Notre Dame is $33,025 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, 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 97%. 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.

Full University of Notre Dame Area Studies Report

#17

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k ranking. 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 also took the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $27,315 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend UChicago.

With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. 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.

Full University of Chicago Area Studies Report

#18

Denison University

Granville, Ohio
#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Denison University did quite well on the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. Located in Granville, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Denison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Denison University is $28,614 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

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 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Full Denison Area Studies Report

#19

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

With a ranking of #19, DePaul University did quite well on the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making Over $110k list. 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. The estimated yearly cost for DePaul is $30,090 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $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%.

Full DePaul University Area Studies Report

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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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