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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for History (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

92 Ranked Colleges
3,179 Degrees Awarded
$9,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

This year’s “Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 92 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank History Schools

The history 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 History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

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. 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 History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

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 $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for History (Income $30-$48k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also took the #3 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern is $3,995 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 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 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%.

Full Northwestern University History Report

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 92 schools in the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. 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.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $2,800 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about History at University of Chicago

#3

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Notre Dame. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Notre Dame, Indiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 45 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Notre Dame is $15,609 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Notre Dame History Report

#4 in overall quality

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 History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 123 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

U-M also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $5,887 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full U-M History Report

#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 #5 for the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 130 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Madison is $6,860 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about History at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#6 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 87 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $8,464 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign History Report

#7

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,879 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about History at Purdue University - Main Campus

#9 in overall quality

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 124 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

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. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $10,037 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus History Report

#9

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

With a ranking of #9, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 61 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,192 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

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

Read more about History at IU Bloomington

#10

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, 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 $30-$48k list. Located in River Falls, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

UW - River Falls not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $10,124 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - River Falls.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UW - River Falls History Report

#11

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield 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 $30-$48k ranking. Springfield, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,323 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UIS.

Read more about History at UIS

#12

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin
#15 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. 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.

UW - La Crosse also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #15. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $9,795 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about History at University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

#18 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well in the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s history 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. It costs about $13,114 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW Oshkosh.

Read full report on History at UW Oshkosh

#14

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin
#19 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Whitewater, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 42 students in 2019-2020.

UW - Whitewater did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $12,156 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Whitewater.

Full University of Wisconsin - Whitewater History Report

#15

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, this fairly large public school handed out 33 degrees to qualified bachelors’s history students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,751 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Oakland University.

Read full report on History at Oakland

#16

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point 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 $30-$48k ranking. UW - Stevens Point is a public institution located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $11,433 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point History Report

#17

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#24 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school situated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It awarded 21 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Eau Claire also made our “Best History Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #24. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire is $11,828 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire History Report

#18

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Green Bay, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $11,641 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Green Bay History Report

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SIUE is a public institution located in Edwardsville, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SIUE is $9,938 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about History at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

#20

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

Grand Valley State University 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 $30-$48k ranking. Grand Valley State University is a large school located in Allendale, Michigan that handed out 36 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,459 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Grand Valley State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about History at GVSU

#21

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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. IU Kokomo is a small school located in Kokomo, Indiana that handed out 10 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for IU Kokomo is $6,049 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full IU Kokomo History Report

#22

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Platteville ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UW - Platteville is located in Platteville, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $12,930 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about History at UW - Platteville

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s history degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $6,315 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree history students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about History at IUPUI

#24

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Beloit is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 14 bachelors’s history degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $7,628 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Beloit.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on History at Beloit College

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value History Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s history degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,185 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree History students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UIC.

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 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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