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2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k

23 Ranked Colleges
881 Degrees Awarded
$10,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the New England 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 New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 6,820 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 106th most popular in the United States. 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 New England region, there were 1,061 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,773 and $17,347 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 881 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,041 and $24,492 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 23 colleges that offer a degree in area studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent area studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The area 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 “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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 Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England 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 New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 23 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the New England Region

#1

Brown University

Providence, Rhode Island

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Brown University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 78 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Brown also took the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brown University is $201 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Brown

#2

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k. New Haven, Connecticut is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Yale has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $2,125 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Yale.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Area Studies at Yale

#3

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #3 spot on the list. Williams is a small school located in Williamstown, Massachusetts that handed out 21 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Williams has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $2,498 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Williams College Area Studies Report

#4

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#7 in overall quality

Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard University is $2,973 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Harvard University

#5

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Amherst College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Amherst also took the #4 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Amherst College is $6,079 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Amherst Area Studies Report

#6

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire

With a ranking of #6, Dartmouth College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dartmouth is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Hanover, New Hampshire. It awarded 41 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dartmouth, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dartmouth College is $12,052 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Dartmouth College Area Studies Report

#7

Bowdoin College

Brunswick, Maine

Bowdoin College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Brunswick, Maine is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 58 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Bowdoin has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bowdoin is $5,626 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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. 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.

Read more about Area Studies at Bowdoin College

#8

Middlebury College

Middlebury, Vermont

With a ranking of #8, Middlebury College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Middlebury is located in Middlebury, Vermont and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Middlebury has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $6,161 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Middlebury College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Middlebury College

#9

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Wellesley College is a small school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts that handed out 41 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Wellesley has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley College is $8,785 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, 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 93%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Wellesley

#10

Trinity College

Hartford, Connecticut

Trinity College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Trinity Bantams is located in Hartford, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Trinity Bantams also took the #8 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Trinity College is $6,256 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Trinity Bantams Area Studies Report

#11

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

Tufts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $5,267 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Tufts Area Studies Report

#12

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Smith also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Smith is $6,075 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Smith College

#13

Connecticut College

New London, Connecticut

Connecticut College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Conn College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New London, Connecticut. It awarded 33 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Conn College, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Connecticut College is $18,732 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, 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 87%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Area Studies at Conn College

#14

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 70 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandeis, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis University is $13,567 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Brandeis Area Studies Report

#15

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Boston U did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Boston U is $12,903 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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.

Full Boston University Area Studies Report

#16

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this large public school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst also took the #20 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts Amherst is $13,137 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#17

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut

University of Connecticut came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UCONN is a large school located in Storrs, Connecticut that handed out 12 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UCONN also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend University of Connecticut is $12,381 for New England 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 93%. The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 University of Connecticut Area Studies Report

#18

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #18, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mt. Holyoke is $12,063 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on Area Studies at Mt. Holyoke

#19

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Massachusetts - Boston is a fairly large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 14 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Boston also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston is $13,859 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Massachusetts - Boston

#20

Keene State College

Keene, New Hampshire
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Keene State College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Keene, New Hampshire is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Keene State has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Keene State College is $14,288 for New England Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Keene State Area Studies Report

#21

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Norton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts is $20,511 for new england 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 student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Wheaton College Massachusetts Area Studies Report

#21 in overall quality

University of New Hampshire - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Durham, New Hampshire, this fairly large public school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

UNH also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for University of New Hampshire - Main Campus is $17,747 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UNH Area Studies Report

#23

Simmons University

Boston, Massachusetts
#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, Simmons University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the New England Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Simmons is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Simmons, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $22,999 for new england region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Simmons University.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Simmons Area Studies Report

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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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