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2026 Best Value Urban Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region

[Urban Studies](/majors/social-sciences/urban-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

College Factual analyzed 23 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value urban studies schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Urban Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region

2026 Best Value Urban Studies Schools in the Great Lakes Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the urban studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Urban Studies Schools

1

Wayne State University
Detroit, MI

$16,159 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,205 Avg Student Debt

$53,493 Median Earnings (10yr)

Wayne State University tops our 2026 list of the best value urban studies schools in the Great Lakes Region. Set in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,159, compared with $34,650 for out-of-state students. Urban Studies graduates carry a median of $25,205 in student loans. Early-career urban studies graduates make about $43,811. That is a strong return on a $25,205 median debt. Wayne State University admits about 81% of applicants.

2

Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH

$12,982 In-State Tuition & Fees

$32,083 Avg Student Debt

$52,131 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cleveland State University earned it the #2 place for urban studies. Cleveland State University is a large public school located in the city of Cleveland. In-state tuition and fees average $12,982, while out-of-state students pay about $18,502. Students borrow a median of $32,083 to complete the urban studies program here. Soon after graduation, urban studies degree recipients from Cleveland State University generally make around $38,929. Set against $32,083 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cleveland State University admits about 91% of applicants.

View All Urban Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 23 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.