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2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

92 Ranked Colleges
3,179 Degrees Awarded
$7,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

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 History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 32,905 people earned their degree in history, making the major the 22nd most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, history graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $29,593 and had an average of $23,490 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 3,735 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,343 and $24,004 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,179 history graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 92 colleges that offer a degree in history. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great history 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 history program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons 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 History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for History (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

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 History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern University is $1,866 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 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 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.

Read more about History at Northwestern

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

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 History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 72 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $2,712 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UChicago.

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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on History at University of Chicago

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 123 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

U-M also took the #4 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $3,166 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at U-M

#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 130 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

UW - Madison also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $4,367 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UW - Madison.

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

Read more about History at UW - Madison

#5

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Notre Dame. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 45 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also took the #2 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Notre Dame is $12,498 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

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. 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 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%.

Full Notre Dame History Report

#6 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 87 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $5,477 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UIUC.

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%. 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 more about History at UIUC

#9 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 124 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

Ohio State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $8,194 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. 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 University - Main Campus History Report

#8

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Michigan State also took the #10 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $6,686 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Full Michigan State History Report

#9

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #9, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 33 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,483 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Purdue.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Purdue History Report

#10

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $4,969 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington History Report

#11

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin
#15 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is a fairly large school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin that handed out 20 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - La Crosse has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $7,939 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Full University of Wisconsin - La Crosse History Report

#12

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is a medium-sized school located in River Falls, Wisconsin that handed out 14 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - River Falls, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW - River Falls is $8,366 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at University of Wisconsin - River Falls

#13

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW - Whitewater is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - Whitewater has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,868 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.

Full University of Wisconsin - Whitewater History Report

#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UW Oshkosh is a public institution located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Oshkosh not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $11,687 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about History at UW Oshkosh

#15

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $11,446 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on History at UW - Stevens Point

#16

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Ball State University is located in Muncie, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Ball State University is $8,403 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on History at Ball State University

#17

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#24 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Eau Claire not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $11,528 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire History Report

#18

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #18, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $11,337 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay.

Read full report on History at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#19

Indiana University - Kokomo

Kokomo, Indiana

Indiana University - Kokomo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Indiana University - Kokomo is a public institution located in Kokomo, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IU Kokomo is $4,360 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about History at IU Kokomo

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is $8,055 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about History at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#21

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Platteville landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Platteville, Wisconsin, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW - Platteville is $12,117 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Platteville History Report

#22

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Oakland University is a public institution located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $7,490 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on History at Oakland

#23

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

With a ranking of #23, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Grand Valley State University is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 36 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $11,578 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 Grand Valley State University History Report

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Indianapolis, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $5,052 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on History at IUPUI

#25

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #25, Beloit College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Beloit, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,574 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Beloit.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Beloit College History 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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