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2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

43 Ranked Colleges
2,136 Degrees Awarded
$10,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

With 365,980 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, liberal arts is the 2nd most popular major in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 38,838 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,136 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 43 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the liberal arts program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts Schools

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

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

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

#1

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 #1 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UChicago, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $2,800 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UChicago.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 full report on Liberal Arts at UChicago

#2

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 #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies 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 47 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,609 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Notre Dame.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Notre Dame

#3

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#4 in overall quality

Out of the 43 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 238 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #4 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for IU Bloomington is $6,192 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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.

Read more about Liberal Arts at IU Bloomington

#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a public institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 97 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Green Bay not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $11,641 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Green Bay.

Read more about Liberal Arts at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#5

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Oakland University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Oakland University is a fairly large public school situated in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It awarded 10 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Oakland also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Oakland is $7,751 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Oakland University

#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UIS is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UIS did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $8,323 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at UIS

#6

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin
#10 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Platteville came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - Platteville is located in Platteville, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.

UW - Platteville also took the #10 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,930 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW - Platteville.

Read more about Liberal Arts at UW - Platteville

#8

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#6 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this large public school awarded 80 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, GVSU has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $12,459 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Grand Valley State University.

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 Liberal Arts at Grand Valley State University

#9

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. EIU is a medium-sized school located in Charleston, Illinois that handed out 123 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

EIU also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $11,316 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Eastern Illinois University.

Full EIU Liberal Arts Report

#12 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Oshkosh also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend UW Oshkosh is $13,114 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at UW Oshkosh

#11

Ball State University

Muncie, Indiana
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Ball State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Muncie, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 249 students in 2019-2020.

Ball State also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend Ball State is $10,487 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Ball State

#12

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Eau Claire, Wisconsin
#13 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. UW - Eau Claire is a public institution located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Eau Claire did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UW - Eau Claire is $11,828 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Liberal Arts Report

#13

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin
#16 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Whitewater also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $12,156 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

#14

Purdue University Northwest

Hammond, Indiana

Purdue University Northwest did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Hammond, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Purdue University Northwest is $8,401 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Purdue Northwest

#15

Indiana University - Southeast

New Albany, Indiana

Indiana University - Southeast did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Located in New Albany, Indiana, this small public school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Southeast is $8,675 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Indiana University - Southeast

#16

Governors State University

University Park, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Governors State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Governors State University is a small school located in University Park, Illinois that handed out 108 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

GSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Governors State University is $12,046 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Governors State University Liberal Arts Report

#17

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#22 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school awarded 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UW - Stevens Point has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $11,433 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Liberal Arts Report

#18

Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois
#9 in overall quality

Western Illinois University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized school located in Macomb, Illinois that handed out 10 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

WIU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $14,526 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at Western Illinois University

#19

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois
#15 in overall quality

Northern Illinois University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, NIU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $15,861 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Northern Illinois University

#20

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana
#23 in overall quality

University of Southern Indiana ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Southern Indiana is a fairly large public school situated in Evansville, Indiana. It awarded 35 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, USI has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern Indiana is $9,842 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts at University of Southern Indiana

University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #21. This medium-sized school is located in Dearborn, Michigan, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Dearborn is $8,057 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full University of Michigan - Dearborn Liberal Arts Report

Miami University - Hamilton came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Hamilton, Ohio, this small public school handed out 41 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Hamilton is $9,820 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Miami University - Hamilton Liberal Arts Report

#23

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, Ohio

Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,784 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Youngstown State University.

Read more about Liberal Arts at Youngstown State University

#24

University of St Francis

Joliet, Illinois
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, University of St Francis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This small school is located in Joliet, Illinois, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Saint Francis, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,229 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Saint Francis.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of Saint Francis

#25

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,962 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SXU.

Full Saint Xavier University Liberal Arts 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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