2023 Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region
A student has lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school or bootcamp that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. This report analyzed 339 schools in the Great Lakes Region to see which ones were the most popular bachelor's degree programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
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Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Ohio State University - Main Campus the most popular school in the Great Lakes Region for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Columbus, Ohio, the large public school awarded 12,018 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Students from Ohio who attend Ohio State full time pay an average of $11,936 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $35,019. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $22,741 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 51% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Ohio State. During the 2019-2020 year, about 99% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 339 schools in the Great Lakes Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Wisconsin - Madison landed the # 2 spot on the list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school located in Madison, Wisconsin that handed out 9,926 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UW - Madison is $10,720. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $38,608. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $20,865 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 54% were women.
Online courses are available at UW - Madison, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular schools in the Great Lakes Region . Michigan State University is a large public school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 9,450 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,867 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 53% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Michigan State. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 9,305 students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UIUC is $17,634. Out-of-state students pay an average of $37,632. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UIUC accumulate an average of $18,891 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 48% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since UIUC does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. U-M is a large public school situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It awarded 9,144 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Michigan who attend U-M full time pay an average of $17,193 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $55,097. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $17,457 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 51% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at U-M. In 2019-2020 about 100% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 8,338 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from Indiana who attend Purdue full time pay an average of $9,992 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $28,794. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $19,133 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 44% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Purdue. During the 2019-2020 year, about 89% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Chamberlain University - Illinois did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Chamberlain - Illinois is located in Addison, Illinois and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8,124 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
If you want to attend Chamberlain - Illinois, expect to pay an average of $20,250 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $37,103 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 89% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Chamberlain - Illinois. In fact, around 91% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large public school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 7,959 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Indiana pay an average of $11,333 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend IU Bloomington. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $38,352. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from IU Bloomington accumulate an average of $19,912 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 50% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that IU Bloomington does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 99% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Ohio University - Athens Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Athens, Ohio, the large public school handed out 6,797 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from OHIO Athens accumulate an average of $24,448 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 64% were women.
One thing to take note of is that OHIO Athens does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 92% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #10 on the list. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large public school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 6,500 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Ohio pay an average of $11,777 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend UC. Out-of-state students pay an average of $27,111. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $26,124 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 53% were women.
Online courses are available at UC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 92% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Grand Valley State University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. This large public school is located in Allendale, Michigan, and it awarded 5,263 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $25,625 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 62% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at GVSU. In 2019-2020 about 94% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
University of Illinois at Chicago landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the large public school awarded 5,247 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at UIC is $15,603. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $30,370. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $19,801 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 54% were women.
UIC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 100% took at least some of their classes online.
Kent State University at Kent ranked #13 on this year’s Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list. Kent State is located in Kent, Ohio and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5,120 bachelor’s degrees to qualified students.
Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Kent State accumulate an average of $27,487 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 65% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Kent State does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 60% took at least some of their classes online.
Purdue University Global did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #14 on the list. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana, the large public school awarded 4,945 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Purdue University Global is $10,125. Out-of-state students pay an average of $14,436. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $42,448 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 66% were women.
Purdue University Global is primarily an online school, so it is a great choice for returning adults and students who work full time.
Miami University - Oxford landed the #15 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. Oxford, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 4,902 students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Ohio pay an average of $16,142 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Miami University - Oxford. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $36,288. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $23,353 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 55% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Miami University - Oxford does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 12% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Illinois State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Normal, Illinois, the large public school awarded 4,745 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $13,968 in tuition and fees if they attend Illinois State full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $24,172. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,109 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 56% were women.
Illinois State does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 98% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular bachelor’s degree programs. This large public school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 4,521 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $10,044 in tuition and fees if they attend IUPUI full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $32,101. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $25,082 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
One thing to take note of is that IUPUI does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
Read full report on Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis
With a ranking of #18, Wayne State University did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Wayne State is a public institution located in Detroit, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4,208 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $15,199 in tuition and fees if they attend Wayne State full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $32,727. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $28,531 in student loans. Around 58% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Wayne State does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #19 on the list. University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee is a large public school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that handed out 3,975 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $9,610 in tuition and fees if they attend UWM full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $21,475. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from UWM accumulate an average of $28,297 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 54% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since UWM does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2019-2020 about 97% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Western Michigan University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. WMU is a fairly large public school situated in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It awarded 3,747 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $13,434 in tuition and fees if they attend WMU full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $16,768. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $27,986 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 52% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at WMU. During the 2019-2020 year, about 97% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Central Michigan University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #21 on the list. Located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, the fairly large public school awarded 3,744 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees at Central Michigan is $13,094. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $29,288 in student loans. Around 60% of those degree recipients were women.
Central Michigan does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 36% took at least some of their classes online.
Ball State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #22 on the list. This large public school is located in Muncie, Indiana, and it awarded 3,683 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $10,290 in tuition and fees if they attend Ball State full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $27,524. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,583 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 61% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Ball State. In fact, around 89% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Oakland University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. Located in Rochester Hills, Michigan, the fairly large public school handed out 3,564 bachelor’s degree awards in 2020-2021.
By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $26,781 in student loans. Around 61% of those degree recipients were women.
Online courses are available at Oakland, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 97% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
DePaul University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #24 on the list. DePaul University is a large private not-for-profit school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 3,335 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
DePaul does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $42,012. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $24,156 in student loans. Around 54% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that DePaul does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 100% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Loyola University Chicago did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #24 on the list. Loyola Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,353 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
If you want to attend Loyola Chicago, expect to pay an average of $47,808 in tuition and fees. Of course, this could be reduced if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Loyola Chicago accumulate an average of $23,570 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 69% were women.
Loyola Chicago does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 97% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Rest of the Top 50 Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
View Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Schools Nationwide >
Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Western Illinois University | Macomb, IL |
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular schools ranking:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH |
| 53 | Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global | Marion, IN |
| 54 | University of Wisconsin - Green Bay | Green Bay, WI |
| 55 | DeVry University - Illinois | Chicago, IL |
| 56 | University of Wisconsin - Platteville | Platteville, WI |
| 57 | Saginaw Valley State University | University Center, MI |
| 58 | University of Wisconsin - River Falls | River Falls, WI |
| 59 | Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago, IL |
| 60 | Xavier University | Cincinnati, OH |
| 61 | University of Wisconsin - Stout | Menomonie, WI |
| 62 | Columbia College Chicago | Chicago, IL |
| 63 | Bradley University | Peoria, IL |
| 64 | Aurora University | Aurora, IL |
| 65 | Michigan Technological University | Houghton, MI |
| 66 | Northern Michigan University | Marquette, MI |
| 67 | University of Michigan - Flint | Flint, MI |
| 68 | Purdue University Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, IN |
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
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%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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