2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
General Social Sciences is the 51st most popular major in the country with 19,742 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, general social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,665 and had an average of $22,423 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 610 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,420 and $26,661 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 319 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 23 colleges that offered a degree in general social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general social sciences programs, but they also cost less that 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 general social sciences program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Social Sciences 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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid.
Top 23 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Social Sciences in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. U-M is a public institution located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
U-M also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $15,336 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
UW - River Falls did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,748 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.
Read more about General Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - River Falls
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. UW - Whitewater is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
UW - Whitewater also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $15,249 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid.
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Michigan State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Michigan State University is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 129 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Michigan State also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Michigan State is $19,173 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 Michigan State University General Social Sciences Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Stout. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. University of Wisconsin - Stout is a medium-sized public school situated in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It awarded 15 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Stout, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $15,839 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stout.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Wisconsin - Platteville ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in Platteville, Wisconsin, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Platteville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $15,718 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville.
Read more about General Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Platteville
With a ranking of #7, Indiana University - Southeast did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. New Albany, Indiana is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.
Indiana University - Southeast also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. It costs about $10,657 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid per year to attend Indiana University - Southeast.
Read more about General Social Sciences at Indiana University - Southeast
With a ranking of #8, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Grand Valley State University is a large school located in Allendale, Michigan that handed out 49 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid list, GVSU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $17,646 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid per year to attend GVSU.
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%.
University of Michigan - Flint landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Flint, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UM Flint, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Flint is $12,734 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid.
Full University of Michigan - Flint General Social Sciences Report
University of Michigan - Dearborn landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Dearborn, Michigan, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UM Dearborn, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Dearborn is $11,473 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences 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%.
Full University of Michigan - Dearborn General Social Sciences Report
Northwestern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Northwestern also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $24,664 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid per year to attend Northwestern University.
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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Central Michigan University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Central Michigan is located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Central Michigan also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $15,981 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid per year to attend Central Michigan University.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at Central Michigan
With a ranking of #13, Cleveland State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Cleveland State University is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Cleveland State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $17,278 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid per year to attend Cleveland State University.
Full Cleveland State University General Social Sciences Report
Shawnee State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Portsmouth, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.
Shawnee State University also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend Shawnee State University is $16,320 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid.
Full Shawnee State University General Social Sciences Report
University of Akron Main Campus ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Akron, Ohio that handed out 2 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
University of Akron Main Campus did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Akron Main Campus is $17,792 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid.
Read more about General Social Sciences at University of Akron Main Campus
Olivet Nazarene University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Olivet Nazarene University is located in Bourbonnais, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Olivet Nazarene did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $20,195 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid per year to attend Olivet Nazarene University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at Olivet Nazarene
Hiram College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Hiram, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.
Hiram not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Hiram College is $21,294 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid.
McKendree University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Lebanon, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.
McKendree also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $19,844 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid per year to attend McKendree University.
Rockford University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Rockford University is a small school located in Rockford, Illinois that handed out 1 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Rockford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Rockford is $22,197 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on General Social Sciences at Rockford University
Carthage College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Kenosha, Wisconsin is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.
Carthage did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Carthage is $28,191 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.
Roosevelt University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences 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 social sciences degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Roosevelt, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Roosevelt University is $22,749 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid.
With a ranking of #22, Andrews University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Andrews is a small school located in Berrien Springs, Michigan that handed out 1 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Andrews also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for Andrews is $21,934 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Denison University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Denison University is located in Granville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Denison also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Denison is $28,614 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree social sciences students with aid.
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 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. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
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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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Manfred Werner (Tsui).
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