2022 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies in Michigan (With Aid)

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 Michigan, there were 149 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,250 and $14,817 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 4 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great area studies programs and 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

The area studies 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 Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid”.

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.

Best Value Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid.

Top 4 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies in Michigan (With Aid)

#1

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan

#1 in overall quality

$15,336 Average Net Price

$56,526 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid list. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 85 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our michigan area studies students with aid list, U-M has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in Michigan” ranking. It costs about $15,336 for michigan area studies students with aid per year to attend U-M.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on Area Studies at U-M

#2

University of Michigan - Dearborn

Dearborn, Michigan

#4 in overall quality

$11,473 Average Net Price

$47,536 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Dearborn landed the #2 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Dearborn, Michigan, and it awarded 10 ’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UM Dearborn also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in Michigan” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend UM Dearborn is $11,473 for michigan area studies students with aid.

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 UM Dearborn

#3

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

#2 in overall quality

$17,646 Average Net Price

$41,297 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grand Valley State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid. GVSU is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in Michigan” list. It costs about $17,646 for Michigan Area Studies students with aid per year to attend Grand Valley State University.

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%.

Full GVSU Area Studies Report

#4

Siena Heights University

Adrian, Michigan

#3 in overall quality

$21,249 Average Net Price

$49,100 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Siena Heights University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in Michigan For Those Getting Aid. Located in Adrian, Michigan, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 16 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Siena Heights University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in Michigan” list. It costs about $21,249 for Michigan Area Studies students with aid per year to attend Siena Heights University.

Read full report on Area Studies at Siena Heights University

• Best Value Colleges for Area Studies in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
• Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (With Aid)

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.

Credits

• Credit for the banner image above goes to Karl Udo Gerth.

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