2023 Best Urban Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
12
Ranked Colleges
133
Degrees Awarded
$31,800
Avg Cost*
With all of the options veterans have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 1,507 people earned their degree in urban studies, making the major the 209th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, urban studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $39,193 and had an average of $21,495 in loans still to pay off.
Across the Great Lakes region, there were 133 urban studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,848 and $26,222 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies” ranking, we looked at 12 colleges that offer a degree in urban studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent urban studies 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 urban studies program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Urban Studies Schools
The urban studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies”.
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. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies
The colleges and universities below are the best for great lakes region vets studying urban studies.
Top 12 Best Urban Studies Colleges for Veterans in the Great Lakes Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. The school came in at #1 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s urban studies degrees to qualified students.
UWM also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UWM supports 24,565 students, and 983 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 494 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,519. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. UWM offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Full UWM Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 12 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies that were part of this year’s ranking, Wayne State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Detroit, Michigan, this large public school handed out 16 diplomas to qualified ’s urban studies students in 2020-2021.
Wayne State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Among the 26,241 students enrolled at Wayne State University, 470 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 244 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,101. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Wayne State University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Wayne State Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Xavier University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies. Xavier University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Xavier did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 7,061 students enrolled at Xavier University, 249 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 184 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $16,316. During this same period, 75 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Xavier University 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read More…
Out of the 12 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies that were part of this year’s ranking, Cleveland State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Cleveland State University is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 56 ’s urban studies degrees to qualified students.
Cleveland State University also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 15,247 students enrolled at Cleveland State University, 411 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 169 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,076. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Read More…
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies list. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s urban studies degrees to qualified students.
UC also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 40,826 students enrolled at UC, 909 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 498 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,806. In addition to receiving other benefits, 15 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. UC does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.
Full UC Veteran Student Life Report
University of Michigan - Dearborn came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies ranking. Dearborn, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s urban studies degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
UM Dearborn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 8,783 students enrolled at University of Michigan - Dearborn, 159 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 111 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,134. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of Michigan - Dearborn 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%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at UM Dearborn]](/colleges/university-of-michigan-dearborn/student-life/veterans/)
Wright State University - Main Campus came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies ranking. Wright State University - Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Dayton, Ohio that handed out 6 ’s urban studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Wright State University - Main Campus also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 10,936 students enrolled at Wright State University - Main Campus, 731 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 419 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $7,623. During this same period, 4 students received scholarships through 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 Wright State University - Main Campus]](/colleges/wright-state-university-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)
Ohio University - Athens Campus ranked #8 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies list. OHIO Athens is located in Athens, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s urban studies degrees to qualified students.
OHIO Athens also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 25,714 students enrolled at Ohio University - Athens Campus, 726 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 324 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,725. To help with additional expenses, 10 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 Ohio University - Athens Campus]](/colleges/ohio-university-main-campus/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #9, Elmhurst University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies list. This small school is located in Elmhurst, Illinois, and it awarded 6 ’s urban studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Elmhurst also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 3,421 students enrolled at Elmhurst University, 77 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 57 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,985. On top of their other funding sources, 7 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Elmhurst University 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%.
Read More…
The College of Wooster did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Wooster, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 2 degrees to qualified ’s urban studies students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wooster College, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 1,924 students enrolled at The College of Wooster, 14 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 1 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $25,162. On top of their other funding sources, 5 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. The College of Wooster offers credit for military training for eligible students.
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 [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%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Wooster College]](/colleges/the-college-of-wooster/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #11, Roosevelt University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified ’s urban studies students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Roosevelt, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 4,680 students enrolled at Roosevelt, 95 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 43 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,071. On top of their other funding sources, 20 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
Wheaton College Illinois did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in the Great Lakes Region for Urban Studies ranking, coming in at #12. Wheaton College Illinois is a small school located in Wheaton, Illinois that handed out 5 ’s urban studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Wheaton College Illinois not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 2,908 students enrolled at Wheaton College Illinois, 56 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 45 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,675. To help with additional expenses, 29 students received scholarships through 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Wheaton College Illinois]](/colleges/wheaton-college-illinois/student-life/veterans/)
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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
college factual
