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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

37 Ranked Colleges
930 Degrees Awarded
$9,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

Area Studies is the 106th most popular major in the country with 6,820 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,734 and had an average of $23,024 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Middle Atlantic region, there were 1,588 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,617 and $28,196 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 930 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,278 and $24,587 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 37 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great area studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

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

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region

#1

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Georgetown University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Georgetown University is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Georgetown also took the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Georgetown is $5,248 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Georgetown University Area Studies Report

#2

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell is $7,484 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full Cornell Area Studies Report

#3

Lehman College

Bronx, New York
#22 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Lehman College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Lehman is a public institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Lehman not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Lehman is $234 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Area Studies at Lehman

#4

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Maryland - College Park. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UMCP is located in College Park, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UMCP has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $8,054 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMCP.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at UMCP

Out of the 37 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #5 spot on the list. Columbia is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 62 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia also took the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $8,916 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Area Studies at Columbia

#6

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York

Colgate University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Colgate is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hamilton, New York. It awarded 15 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Colgate also took the #4 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Colgate University is $9,752 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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 low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Area Studies at Colgate

#7

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

With a ranking of #7, Towson University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Towson, Maryland, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Towson also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for Towson is $9,206 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Towson

With a ranking of #8, John Jay College of Criminal Justice did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. John Jay is a fairly large school located in New York, New York that handed out 11 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $771 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend John Jay.

Read full report on Area Studies at John Jay

#9

Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs, New York

Skidmore College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Saratoga Springs, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Skidmore also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Skidmore College is $9,372 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low 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%.

Full Skidmore Area Studies Report

#10

Dickinson College

Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Dickinson College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 31 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Dickinson has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dickinson is $11,046 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Area Studies at Dickinson

#11

SUNY Old Westbury

Old Westbury, New York

SUNY Old Westbury came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SUNY Old Westbury is a medium-sized school located in Old Westbury, New York that handed out 16 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Old Westbury is $6,772 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full SUNY Old Westbury Area Studies Report

#12

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, New York
#15 in overall quality

Stony Brook University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SUNY Stony Brook is a large public school situated in Stony Brook, New York. It awarded 25 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, SUNY Stony Brook has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Stony Brook is $10,683 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at SUNY Stony Brook

#13

SUNY Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, New York
#20 in overall quality

SUNY Plattsburgh did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. SUNY Plattsburgh is a medium-sized public school situated in Plattsburgh, New York. It awarded 5 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

SUNY Plattsburgh not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $9,278 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SUNY Plattsburgh.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at SUNY Plattsburgh

#14

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Vassar College is a small school located in Poughkeepsie, New York that handed out 19 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Vassar also took the #18 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $8,186 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vassar.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 93%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Area Studies at Vassar College

University of Maryland - Baltimore County ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 18 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $10,820 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UMBC.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at UMBC

Hobart and William Smith Colleges came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. The Colleges is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Geneva, New York. It awarded 26 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The Colleges also took the #12 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $13,283 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The Colleges.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Area Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges

University of Maryland Global Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Maryland Global Campus is a public institution located in Adelphi, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMGC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Maryland Global Campus is $14,288 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Maryland Global Campus

#18

University of Delaware

Newark, Delaware
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, University of Delaware did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Newark, Delaware, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $11,487 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Delaware.

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

Read more about Area Studies at UD

#19

Ramapo College of New Jersey

Mahwah, New Jersey

Ramapo College of New Jersey did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. Ramapo College is a medium-sized public school situated in Mahwah, New Jersey. It awarded 3 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Ramapo College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $11,355 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Ramapo College of New Jersey.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, 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 85%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey

#20

Barnard College

New York, New York

Barnard College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Barnard is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 32 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Barnard also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $12,377 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Barnard College.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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 low 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 Barnard Area Studies Report

#21

SUNY New Paltz

New Paltz, New York

SUNY New Paltz landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SUNY New Paltz is a public institution located in New Paltz, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SUNY New Paltz is $11,543 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at SUNY New Paltz

#22

Binghamton University

Vestal, New York
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Binghamton University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Vestal, New York, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Binghamton University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Binghamton University is $12,686 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, 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 92%.

Full Binghamton University Area Studies Report

#23

George Washington University

Washington, District of Columbia

George Washington University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Washington, District of Columbia, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

GWU also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $17,614 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend George Washington University.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at George Washington University

#24

University at Albany

Albany, New York

University at Albany landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Albany, New York is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for University at Albany is $13,123 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Area Studies at UAlbany

#25

Gettysburg College

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #25, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Gettysburg also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #24. The estimated yearly cost for Gettysburg College is $11,244 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Gettysburg College

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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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