2023 Best Geography Master’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
13
Ranked Colleges
53
Degrees Awarded
$28,400
Avg Cost*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, veterans have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Geography is the 159th most popular major in the country with 4,954 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 697 geography graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 13 colleges that offer a degree in geography. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent geography 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 geography program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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 Geography for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 Geography for a Master’s
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s”.
Top 13 Best Geography Master’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s list. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, this large public school awarded 3 degrees to qualified masters’s geography students in 2020-2021.
UW - Madison also took the #1 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, UW - Madison supports 44,640 students, and 4 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s. Ohio State is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list.According to our most recent data, Ohio State supports 61,369 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 0 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Ohio State does offer 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 4 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 1 of the 43,064 students enrolled at IU Bloomington 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. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. IU Bloomington 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read More…
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Miami University - Oxford. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s list. Miami University - Oxford is located in Oxford, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 masters’s geography degrees to qualified students.
Miami University - Oxford also took the #2 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Miami University - Oxford supports 18,880 students, and 405 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 259 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,877. During this same period, 6 students received funds 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Miami University - Oxford]](/colleges/miami-university-oxford/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 13 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #5 spot on the list. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a fairly large public school situated in Edwardsville, Illinois. It awarded 3 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SIUE, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 3 of the 12,860 students enrolled at SIUE were GI Bill® students, of which 2 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $23,082. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
[Read full report on veteran student life at SIUE]](/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/student-life/veterans/)
Western Michigan University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s list. Western Michigan University is a public institution located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree vets studying geography list, WMU has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Of the 19,887 students enrolled at Western Michigan University, 584 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 327 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,981. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Western Michigan University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full WMU Veteran Student Life Report
Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s ranking. Ohio University - Athens Campus is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 masters’s geography degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree vets studying geography list, OHIO Athens has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Among the 25,714 students enrolled at OHIO Athens, 726 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 324 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,725. On top of their other funding sources, 10 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Ohio University - Athens Campus]](/colleges/ohio-university-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)
Kent State University at Kent ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s list. Located in Kent, Ohio, this large public school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified masters’s geography students in 2020-2021.
Kent State also took the #8 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, Kent State University at Kent supports 26,822 students, and 778 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 374 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,199. 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.
Full Kent State Veteran Student Life Report
University of Toledo did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #9. This fairly large school is located in Toledo, Ohio, and it awarded 4 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
University of Toledo also made our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #12.Our most recent data shows that 510 of the 18,319 students enrolled at University of Toledo were GI Bill® students, of which 232 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,784. In addition to receiving other benefits, 11 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Toledo offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at University of Toledo]](/colleges/university-of-toledo/student-life/veterans/)
Ball State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s ranking. Ball State University is a large public school situated in Muncie, Indiana. It awarded 2 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree vets studying geography list, Ball State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 455 of the 21,597 students enrolled at Ball State were GI Bill® students, of which 182 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,124. To help with additional expenses, 29 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Ball State 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 Ball State University Veteran Student Life Report
Michigan State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s ranking. Michigan State University is a large public school situated in East Lansing, Michigan. It awarded 4 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
Michigan State also made our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #5.According to our most recent data, Michigan State University supports 49,695 students, and 2 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 1 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,686. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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%. 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 Veteran Student Life Report
Northern Illinois University ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s list. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s geography degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at NIU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking.According to our most recent data, NIU supports 16,769 students, and 480 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 207 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,822. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Read More…
Chicago State University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Geography for a Master’s ranking. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 3 masters’s geography degrees in 2020-2021.
CSU also made our “Best Geography Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13.Of the 2,644 students enrolled at Chicago State University, 94 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 48 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,489. 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 impressive undergraduate 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.
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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
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Couleur.
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