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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

116 Ranked Colleges
5,395 Degrees Awarded
$32,057 Avg Salary
Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 48,597 people earned their degree in political science and government, making the major the 21st most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, political science and government graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,977 and had an average of $22,822 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 5,852 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $32,057 and $23,720 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,395 political science and government graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 116 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in political science and government. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent political science and government programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the political science and government program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Political Science & Government Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science & Government (Income $48-$75k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 121 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Northwestern is $6,452 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Northwestern

#2

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Chicago. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 106 students in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #1 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $7,934 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UChicago

Out of the 116 schools in the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #3 spot on the list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 320 students in 2019-2020.

U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is $10,028 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read full report on Political Science & Government at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

#4

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Notre Dame. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 181 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Notre Dame is $17,768 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Notre Dame Political Science & Government Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 363 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k list, UW - Madison has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $13,227 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at UW - Madison

#6

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #6, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 73 bachelors’s political science degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k list, Purdue has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $9,654 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Purdue.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UIUC is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 259 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $13,351 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UIUC

Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 289 students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $13,982 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#9

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Indiana University - Bloomington came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school handed out 92 degrees to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also took the #22 spot in our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Indiana University - Bloomington is $12,060 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Indiana University - Bloomington

#10

Indiana University - East

Richmond, Indiana

Indiana University - East ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Indiana University - East is a public institution located in Richmond, Indiana. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,723 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend IU East.

Full Indiana University - East Political Science & Government Report

#11

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, Wisconsin

With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is $13,304 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Political Science & Government Report

#12

Beloit College

Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Beloit is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 18 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Beloit College is $10,769 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 10 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 90%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at Beloit College

#13

University of Wisconsin - River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin
Top 25% in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - River Falls did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in River Falls, Wisconsin, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - River Falls is $13,474 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UW - River Falls

#14

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

Green Bay, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a public institution located in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Green Bay is $14,584 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Political Science & Government at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

#15

Denison University

Granville, Ohio

Denison University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Granville, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

Denison also made our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Denison is $22,652 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Denison University

#16

University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Platteville, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Platteville, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UW - Platteville is $15,152 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Wisconsin - Platteville Political Science & Government Report

University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this large public school handed out 72 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s political science students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Illinois at Chicago is $13,683 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read more about Political Science & Government at UIC

#18

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois

University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #18. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 19 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UIS is $11,857 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full University of Illinois at Springfield Political Science & Government Report

With a ranking of #19, University of Michigan - Dearborn did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UM Dearborn is a medium-sized public school situated in Dearborn, Michigan. It awarded 29 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Michigan - Dearborn is $10,553 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 UM Dearborn Political Science & Government Report

#20

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UW - Whitewater is a public institution located in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,941 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UW - Whitewater.

Read more about Political Science & Government at UW - Whitewater

#21

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

Saint Xavier University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. SXU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $14,907 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Saint Xavier University.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at SXU

#22

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Wheaton, Illinois. It awarded 17 bachelors’s political science degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Political Science & Government Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Illinois is $19,691 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at Wheaton College Illinois

#23

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois

Northern Illinois University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. NIU is a public institution located in Dekalb, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 87 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Northern Illinois University is $18,346 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full NIU Political Science & Government Report

Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 40 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $12,314 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Political Science students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis.

Full Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis Political Science & Government Report

#25

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Political Science Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Stevens Point, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s political science degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is $14,165 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree political science students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Political Science & Government at UW - Stevens Point

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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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