2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences in the Great Lakes Region
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 Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Social Sciences is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 5th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 205,726 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,801 and had an average of $23,466 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 22,091 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,186 and $24,310 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 2,057 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,039 and $42,488 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 45 colleges that offered a degree in social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social sciences 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 social sciences program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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.
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region master’s degree social sciences students.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences in the Great Lakes Region
Out of the 45 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #1 spot on the list. SIUE is located in Edwardsville, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SIUE are $9,300.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. UW - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 238 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - Madison, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Illinois State University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Illinois State University is located in Normal, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Illinois State, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Illinois State are $11,069, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Sciences at Illinois State University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana State University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Indiana State is a fairly large school located in Terre Haute, Indiana that handed out 18 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Indiana State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana State are $15,346, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northern Illinois University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region. Dekalb, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social sciences degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at NIU are $11,086, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Northern Illinois University
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Bowling Green State University - Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Bowling Green, Ohio that handed out 49 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Bowling Green State University - Main Campus are $15,823, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Xavier University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Xavier University is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Xavier are $12,076, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Western Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #8. Western Illinois University is located in Macomb, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at WIU are $11,996, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Western Illinois University
University of Detroit Mercy came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Detroit Mercy is located in Detroit, Michigan and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Detroit Mercy also made our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #19. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Detroit Mercy are $20,047.
University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #10. University of Illinois at Springfield is a small school located in Springfield, Illinois that handed out 22 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UIS are $16,757, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Sciences at University of Illinois at Springfield
Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 34 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Purdue did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794.
Read more about Social Sciences at Purdue University - Main Campus
With a ranking of #12, Marquette University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it awarded 17 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our great lakes region master’s degree social sciences students list, Marquette has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Marquette University are $21,690, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Ohio University - Athens Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. OHIO Athens is a public institution located in Athens, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 116 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
OHIO Athens also made our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio University - Athens Campus are $17,712.
Read more about Social Sciences at Ohio University - Athens Campus
Loyola University Chicago ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Loyola Chicago is a fairly large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 12 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Loyola Chicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola Chicago are $19,154.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #15. This large school is located in Champaign, Illinois, and it awarded 101 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Youngstown State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Youngstown State University are $9,495.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Youngstown State University
Central Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #17. Central Michigan is a fairly large school located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan that handed out 21 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Central Michigan University are $19,359.
DePaul University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social sciences degrees to 63 students in 2019-2020.
DePaul did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at DePaul University are $19,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Eastern Illinois University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Charleston, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 30 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at EIU are $20,761, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #20, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
UWM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee are $25,295, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Sciences at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Kent State University at Kent did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Kent, Ohio, this large public school awarded 30 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.
Kent State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Kent State are $21,952, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Social Sciences at Kent State University at Kent
Northeastern Illinois University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Northeastern Illinois University is a medium-sized public school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 7 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Northeastern Illinois University
With a ranking of #23, University of Illinois at Chicago did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social sciences degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.
UIC also took the #15 spot in our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Sciences at University of Illinois at Chicago
Ball State University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Ball State is a public institution located in Muncie, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Ball State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Social Sciences Master’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Ball State University are $26,204.
Read full report on Social Sciences at Ball State University
University of Akron Main Campus came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Master’s in the Great Lakes Region ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is located in Akron, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Akron Main Campus are $15,217, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Akron Main Campus
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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 AndrГ© KГјnzelmann.
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