College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Political Science in the Great Lakes Region

41 Ranked Colleges
215 Degrees Awarded
$29,900 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Political Science is the 13th most popular major in the country with 45,964 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 5,552 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 215 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $59,182 and $43,142 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, we looked at 41 colleges that offer a degree in political science. This a ranking of the schools where the largest percentage of students has enrolled in political science.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Political Science Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Poly Sci Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree poly sci students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Political Science in the Great Lakes Region

1
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hillsdale College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region. Hillsdale College is located in Hillsdale, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 17 masters’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Political Science at Hillsdale College

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Springfield. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UIS is a small public school situated in Springfield, Illinois. It awarded 26 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 full report on Political Science at UIS

3
EIU crest
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Eastern Illinois University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region. EIU is a medium-sized public school situated in Charleston, Illinois. It awarded 21 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Eastern Illinois University Political Science Report

4
GSU crest
Governors State University
University Park, Illinois

Out of the 41 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Governors State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Governors State University is a public institution located in University Park, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Governors State University

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northeastern Illinois University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s poly sci degrees to 5 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Political Science Report

6

With a ranking of #6, Western Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Macomb, Illinois, this medium-sized public school handed out 5 degrees to qualified masters’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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 full report on Political Science at WIU

7
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Marquette University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #7. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s poly sci degrees to 8 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, 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 89%.

Full Marquette University Political Science Report

8

With a ranking of #8, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Oxford, Ohio, and it awarded 12 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Political Science at Miami University - Oxford

9
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 7 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, 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 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Political Science at UChicago

10
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

University of Notre Dame landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 5 masters’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Notre Dame Political Science Report

11

Illinois State University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Illinois State University is a large school located in Normal, Illinois that handed out 8 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Illinois State University Political Science Report

12
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.1% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 99%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Political Science at Northwestern University

13

Northern Illinois University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #13. This fairly large school is located in Dekalb, Illinois, and it awarded 5 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 NIU Political Science Report

14

Ohio University - Athens Campus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. OHIO Athens is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 1 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio University - Athens Campus Political Science Report

15
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Western Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 2 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at WMU

16

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #16. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Political Science at University of Wisconsin - Madison

17

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 9 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 full report on Political Science at Ohio State

18
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 3 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, 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 undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science at Purdue University - Main Campus

19

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s poly sci degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

20
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This large school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 12 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Wayne State University

21
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

Ball State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. This fairly large school is located in Muncie, Indiana, and it awarded 8 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Ball State

22

With a ranking of #22, Kent State University at Kent did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Kent, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s poly sci degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at Kent State

23

With a ranking of #23, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 2 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

24

With a ranking of #24, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Indiana University - Bloomington is located in Bloomington, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 3 masters’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at IU Bloomington

25

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. UC is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 1 masters’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 full report on Political Science at UC

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options