2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States 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. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 Plains States region, there were 335 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,400 and $23,969 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 9 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,701 and $106,703 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 3 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality area studies programs that also have a lower cost than 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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 Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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 Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region doctor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 3 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region

#1

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

#2 in overall quality

$28,845 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities are $28,845, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

#2

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

#1 in overall quality

$27,613 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Iowa. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 4 doctorate’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa also took the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Iowa are $27,613.

Read more about Area Studies at Iowa

#3

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

#3 in overall quality

$25,007 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 3 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Kansas landed the #3 spot on the list. KU is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 doctorate’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

KU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at KU are $25,007, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Area Studies at KU

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k)

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.

Credits

• Credit for the banner image above goes to Karl Udo Gerth.

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