2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s
17
Ranked Colleges
329
Degrees Awarded
$32,824
Avg Salary
When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 18,997 people earned their degree in general social sciences, making the major the 54th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, general social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $32,991 and had an average of $24,438 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 568 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,813 and $28,816 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 329 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,343 and $26,790 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 17 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general social sciences programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general social sciences program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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 “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools 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.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region bachelor’s degree vets studying social sciences.
Top 17 Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.
U-M also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Among the 47,907 students enrolled at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, 570 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 325 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $27,058. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 2 of the 61,369 students enrolled at Ohio State University - Main Campus were GI Bill® students, of which 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - River Falls also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of Wisconsin - River Falls supports 5,855 students, and 185 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 84 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,939. During this same period, 16 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Grand Valley State University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s. Grand Valley State University is a large school located in Allendale, Michigan that handed out 37 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at GVSU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 479 of the 23,350 students enrolled at GVSU were GI Bill® students, of which 198 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,686. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 GVSU Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Central College. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s. North Central College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Naperville, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
North Central not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Among the 2,832 students enrolled at North Central College, 46 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 32 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,214. In addition to receiving other benefits, 15 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. North Central College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full North Central Veteran Student Life Report
University of Wisconsin - Stout came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. UW - Stout is a medium-sized school located in Menomonie, Wisconsin that handed out 20 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree vets studying social sciences list, UW - Stout has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 305 of the 7,970 students enrolled at UW - Stout were GI Bill® students, of which 133 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,590. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at UW - Stout]](/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-stout/student-life/veterans/)
Michigan State University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school awarded 129 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.
Michigan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Among the 49,695 students enrolled at Michigan State University, 2 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,686. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
University of Michigan - Dearborn ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized public school situated in Dearborn, Michigan. It awarded 20 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UM Dearborn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Of the 8,783 students enrolled at UM Dearborn, 159 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 111 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,134. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Michigan - Dearborn Veteran Student Life Report
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is a fairly large school located in Whitewater, Wisconsin that handed out 2 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
UW - Whitewater also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12.Among the 11,989 students enrolled at UW - Whitewater, 383 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 181 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,342. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full UW - Whitewater Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #10, Central Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s list. Central Michigan University is a public institution located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Central Michigan also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Among the 17,311 students enrolled at Central Michigan University, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $425. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Central Michigan University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…
Cleveland State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. Cleveland State University is a fairly large public school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 13 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Cleveland State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Our most recent data shows that 411 of the 15,247 students enrolled at Cleveland State University were GI Bill® students, of which 169 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,076. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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University of Akron Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 2 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Akron Main Campus also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Of the 16,094 students enrolled at University of Akron Main Campus, 2 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,240. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full University of Akron Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report
Northwestern University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree vets studying social sciences list, Northwestern has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Among the 22,603 students enrolled at Northwestern, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $399. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 97%.
Full Northwestern University Veteran Student Life Report
Indiana University - Southeast landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. This small school is located in New Albany, Indiana, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Indiana University - Southeast, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Among the 4,678 students enrolled at Indiana University - Southeast, 162 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 91 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,005. To help with additional expenses, 1 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Shawnee State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. This small school is located in Portsmouth, Ohio, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Shawnee State University, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Of the 3,485 students enrolled at Shawnee State University, 80 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 38 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,614. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Shawnee State University Veteran Student Life Report
Roosevelt University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. Roosevelt University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Roosevelt not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.Among the 4,680 students enrolled at Roosevelt University, 95 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 43 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,071. To help with additional expenses, 20 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Roosevelt University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
Denison University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Social Sciences for a Bachelor’s ranking. Denison is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Granville, Ohio. It awarded 5 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Denison, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Of the 2,258 students enrolled at Denison, 15 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $20,672. During this same period, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read More…
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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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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