2023 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k)
95
Ranked Colleges
6,966
Degrees Awarded
$6,500
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 6,966 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 115th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $33,127 and had an average of $20,927 in loans still to pay off.
For this year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 95 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.
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 picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k)
Out of the 95 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 55 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
Duke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Area Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Duke is $-927 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k. A negative average net price may seem strange, but it generally means that financial aid will more than cover the cost to attend the school.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Area Studies at Duke University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 43 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $1,581 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Area Studies at Stanford University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Yale University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Haven, Connecticut. It awarded 58 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Yale has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Yale University is $3,083 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 Yale University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dartmouth College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized school located in Hanover, New Hampshire that handed out 49 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Dartmouth also made our “Best Area Studies Schools” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $8,718 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Dartmouth College.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Dartmouth College Area Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Columbia University in the City of New York. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 121 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Area Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Columbia is $4,699 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 low undergrad 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%. The impressive undergraduate 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.
Full Columbia Area Studies Report
With a ranking of #6, Williams College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Williams is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Williams, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Williams is $5,480 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The impressive undergraduate 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Area Studies at Williams College
Brown University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 101 students in 2020-2021.
Brown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Area Studies Schools” list. It costs about $2,842 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Brown University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Full Brown Area Studies Report
Wellesley College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. This small school is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and it awarded 23 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Wellesley has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley College is $8,021 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Area Studies at Wellesley
Georgetown University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Georgetown University is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 132 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Georgetown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Area Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Georgetown University is $9,871 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Area Studies at Georgetown University
Amherst College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Amherst College is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Amherst is $4,459 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Amherst Area Studies Report
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 221 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,729 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UNC Chapel Hill.
With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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%.
Read full report on Area Studies at UNC Chapel Hill
William & Mary landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 63 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
William & Mary also made our “Best Area Studies Schools” list, coming in at #24. It costs about $7,507 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend William & Mary.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full William & Mary Area Studies Report
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 68 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at U-M, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $5,670 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full U-M Area Studies Report
University of Chicago landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 45 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Chicago is $4,777 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Area Studies at University of Chicago
With a ranking of #15, Cornell University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Ithaca, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cornell has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cornell University is $5,133 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 impressive undergraduate 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.
Read more about Area Studies at Cornell
Tufts University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Tufts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Medford, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 28 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $7,987 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 92%.
Full Tufts University Area Studies Report
University of Washington - Seattle Campus came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 192 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. It costs about $6,399 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UW Seattle.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad 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 UW Seattle
Bowdoin College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Brunswick, Maine is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.
Bowdoin also took the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Bowdoin College is $7,823 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%.
Read full report on Area Studies at Bowdoin
With a ranking of #19, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 105 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
UC Berkeley also took the #10 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $9,999 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.
Read more about Area Studies at University of California - Berkeley
Barnard College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Barnard is located in New York, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 36 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Barnard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Area Studies Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Barnard is $15,090 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergraduate 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Barnard College Area Studies Report
Emory University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Emory University is a fairly large school located in Atlanta, Georgia that handed out 51 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Emory not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Area Studies Schools” list. It costs about $8,976 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Emory University.
The impressive undergraduate 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 low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Area Studies at Emory
University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 157 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for University of Wisconsin - Madison is $4,788 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wisconsin - Madison Area Studies Report
Middlebury College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Middlebury, Vermont is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Middlebury, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Middlebury College is $7,221 for Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Middlebury Area Studies Report
University of California - Los Angeles landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 103 students in 2020-2021.
UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Area Studies Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,891 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - Los Angeles Area Studies Report
With a ranking of #25, Colgate University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Colgate is a small school located in Hamilton, New York that handed out 22 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Colgate University is $7,197 for area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 impressive undergraduate 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.
Read more about Area Studies at Colgate
