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2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

21 Ranked Colleges
1,075 Degrees Awarded
$10,600 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 17,269 people earned their degree in public administration, making the major the 47th most popular in the United States.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 2,650 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,075 public administration graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 21 colleges that offer a degree in public administration. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public administration programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the public administration program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Public Administration Schools

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 “Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 21 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Administration (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region

#1

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Bloomington. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 593 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $4,969 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration at Indiana University - Bloomington

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 93 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $8,194 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, 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 94%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#18 in overall quality

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Northwest landed the #3 spot on the list. IU Northwest is located in Gary, Indiana and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k list, IU Northwest has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $3,287 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Indiana University - Northwest.

Full IU Northwest Public Administration Report

#6 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 90 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. It costs about $5,052 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IUPUI.

Read more about Public Administration at Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis

#3 in overall quality

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school awarded 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW - La Crosse, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $7,939 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Administration at UW - La Crosse

#6

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

Stevens Point, Wisconsin
#7 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized public school situated in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It awarded 1 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

UW - Stevens Point also made our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend UW - Stevens Point is $11,446 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

#9 in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is located in Whitewater, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

UW - Whitewater not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is $11,868 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration at UW - Whitewater

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this medium-sized public school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k list, UW - Green Bay has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is $11,337 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration at UW - Green Bay

#9

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, Indiana
#16 in overall quality

Purdue University Fort Wayne came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fort Wayne, Indiana is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

PFW also made our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $7,129 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend PFW.

Read more about Public Administration at PFW

#10

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan
#8 in overall quality

Grand Valley State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Allendale, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 63 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at GVSU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Grand Valley State University is $11,578 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Grand Valley State University

#11

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan
#15 in overall quality

Oakland University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Oakland is a fairly large school located in Rochester Hills, Michigan that handed out 5 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Oakland also took the #15 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Oakland University is $7,490 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration at Oakland

#12

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan
#11 in overall quality

Central Michigan University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Central Michigan is a fairly large school located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan that handed out 20 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Central Michigan also took the #11 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $11,598 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Central Michigan University.

Read full report on Public Administration at Central Michigan

#13

Franklin University

Columbus, Ohio
#21 in overall quality

Franklin University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

Franklin University also made our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend Franklin University is $11,328 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration at Franklin University

#14

University of Illinois at Springfield

Springfield, Illinois
#14 in overall quality

University of Illinois at Springfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. University of Illinois at Springfield is a public institution located in Springfield, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIS, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UIS is $9,771 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration at University of Illinois at Springfield

#15

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, Michigan
#17 in overall quality

Saginaw Valley State University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in University Center, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

Saginaw Valley State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Saginaw Valley State University is $10,522 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Public Administration at Saginaw Valley State University

#16

Cedarville University

Cedarville, Ohio
#4 in overall quality

Cedarville University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cedarville is located in Cedarville, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s public admin degrees to qualified students.

Cedarville not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Cedarville is $16,897 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Cedarville Public Administration Report

#17

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio
#13 in overall quality

Cleveland State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, this fairly large public school handed out 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cleveland State University, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State University is $14,213 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Cleveland State University Public Administration Report

#18

Wayne State University

Detroit, Michigan
#19 in overall quality

Wayne State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree public admin students whose families make $0-$30k list, Wayne State has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wayne State University is $11,413 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Wayne State University Public Administration Report

#12 in overall quality

Miami University - Oxford came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Miami University - Oxford is a fairly large public school situated in Oxford, Ohio. It awarded 22 bachelors’s public admin degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $13,759 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Miami University - Oxford Public Administration Report

#20

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan
#20 in overall quality

Eastern Michigan University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Ypsilanti, Michigan, this fairly large public school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public admin students in 2019-2020.

Eastern Michigan also took the #20 spot in our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Eastern Michigan University is $13,904 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Public Administration at Eastern Michigan

#21

Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Mount Vernon, Ohio
#5 in overall quality

Mount Vernon Nazarene University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Admin Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Mount Vernon, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s public admin degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

MVNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Public Administration Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend MVNU is $18,507 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree Public Admin students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Administration at Mount Vernon Nazarene University

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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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