2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in the Great Lakes Region (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 has developed its “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Liberal Arts is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 2nd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 365,980 degrees were awarded to students with this major.
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 Getting Aid” ranking looked at 44 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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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 Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid
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 Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. UW - Green Bay is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 97 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Green Bay, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $14,395 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 238 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
IU Bloomington also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $13,253 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid per year to attend IU Bloomington.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. UW Oshkosh is a public institution located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW Oshkosh also took the #12 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is $15,463 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Governors State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. GSU is a small school located in University Park, Illinois that handed out 108 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
GSU also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Governors State University is $12,077 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ball State 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 Getting Aid. 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.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid list, Ball State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Ball State is $15,147 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.
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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Hammond, Indiana, this medium-sized public school handed out 45 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Purdue Northwest is $11,250 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
With a ranking of #7, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. UW - Whitewater is a fairly large public school situated in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It awarded 26 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Whitewater not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $15,249 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.
Oakland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. Rochester Hills, Michigan is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oakland, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Oakland is $11,802 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.
Indiana University - Southeast came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in New Albany, Indiana, this small public school handed out 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Southeast is $10,657 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Indiana University - Southeast
University of Illinois at Springfield landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UIS is a small school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 15 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UIS also took the #18 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Illinois at Springfield is $12,477 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
Eastern Illinois University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. 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 $14,607 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend EIU.
University of Wisconsin - Platteville came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UW - Platteville is a medium-sized school located in Platteville, Wisconsin that handed out 3 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Platteville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Platteville is $15,718 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
Full University of Wisconsin - Platteville Liberal Arts Report
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Western Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Macomb, Illinois. It awarded 10 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
WIU also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend Western Illinois University is $16,210 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. This fairly large school is located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Eau Claire, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $16,020 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.
Full University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Liberal Arts Report
Northern Illinois University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 61 students in 2019-2020.
NIU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Northern Illinois University is $18,259 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.
Read more about Liberal Arts at Northern Illinois University
University of Michigan - Dearborn landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UM Dearborn is located in Dearborn, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Dearborn is $11,473 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
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%.
Grand Valley State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
GVSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $17,646 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
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 more about Liberal Arts at Grand Valley State University
Miami University - Hamilton ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Hamilton, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 41 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Miami University - Hamilton is $11,559 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.
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 Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. UW - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 1 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Stevens Point also took the #22 spot 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 $14,465 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid.
Youngstown State University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Youngstown State University is $11,947 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
University of Southern Indiana did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. University of Southern Indiana is a public institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
USI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern Indiana is $13,437 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Chicago State University 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 Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend CSU is $11,733 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
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.
Miami University - Middletown ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Middletown, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Middletown is $14,630 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at Miami University - Middletown
Saint Xavier University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $14,528 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree liberal studies students with aid per year to attend SXU.
Northeastern Illinois University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Northeastern Illinois University is a public institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 139 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Northeastern Illinois University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,843 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students with aid per year to attend Northeastern Illinois University.
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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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