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2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences in the Great Lakes Region

30 Ranked Colleges
611 Degrees Awarded
$56,630 Avg Salary
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2021-2022, 197,356 social sciences students received their degree, making the major the 5th most popular in the country. In , social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $36,428 and had an average of $22,588 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 21,181 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,487 and $23,150 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 611 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $74,470 and $126,402 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in social sciences. That schools that top this list have a program in social sciences in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences in the Great Lakes Region

1
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 85 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, 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 99%. 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.

Full University of Chicago Social Sciences Report

2
Notre Dame crest
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Notre Dame. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 26 doctorate’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of Notre Dame

3
Hillsdale College crest
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hillsdale College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Hillsdale College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hillsdale, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Hillsdale College Social Sciences Report

4
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 56 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 99%. 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. 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Northwestern University

5

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 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 48 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.

Full UW - Madison Social Sciences Report

6

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school situated in Bloomington, Indiana. It awarded 28 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Indiana University - Bloomington Social Sciences Report

7
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #7, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Michigan State University is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 39 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Michigan State University

8

Southern Illinois University Carbondale came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. SIUC is located in Carbondale, Illinois and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 15 doctorate’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Southern Illinois University Carbondale

9

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 50 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate 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%.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

10

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 49 doctorate’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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 Social Sciences at Ohio State University - Main Campus

11

With a ranking of #11, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. UIUC is a large school located in Champaign, Illinois that handed out 55 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Social Sciences Report

12

With a ranking of #12, Northern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. NIU is a fairly large school located in Dekalb, Illinois that handed out 6 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full NIU Social Sciences Report

13

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 23 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at UIC

14

With a ranking of #14, Kent State University at Kent did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Kent State University at Kent is located in Kent, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 16 doctorate’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

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 Social Sciences at Kent State University at Kent

15

Bowling Green State University - Main Campus landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Bowling Green, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s social sciences degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 Social Sciences at BGSU

16

Case Western Reserve University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Case Western is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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. 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 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University

17
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Loyola University Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 3 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, 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 88%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Loyola Chicago

18

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Social Sciences Report

19

With a ranking of #19, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Akron, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s social sciences degrees to 130 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at University of Akron Main Campus

20
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 doctorate’s 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Social Sciences Report

21
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

Wayne State University ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This large school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 20 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Sciences at Wayne State University

22
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

With a ranking of #22, Western Michigan University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. This fairly large school is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and it awarded 15 doctorate’s social sciences degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Western Michigan University

23

With a ranking of #23, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%.

Full UC Social Sciences Report

24

Cleveland State University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cleveland State University Social Sciences Report

25

University of Toledo ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in the Great Lakes Region list. Located in Toledo, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s social sciences students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Toledo Social Sciences Report

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