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2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

13 Ranked Colleges
364 Degrees Awarded
$11,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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 Massachusetts, there were 469 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,600 and $18,123 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 364 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 13 colleges that offered 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the area studies program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

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 Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in Massachusetts

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Harvard University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Harvard has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $1,010 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Harvard University.

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%.

Full Harvard Area Studies Report

#2

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Amherst College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $4,423 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Amherst College.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Amherst Area Studies Report

#3

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #3 spot on the list. Williams is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Williams did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $2,223 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Williams College.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 90%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Williams

#4

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wellesley College. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Wellesley is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wellesley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley College is $4,519 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read more about Area Studies at Wellesley College

#5

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Tufts University landed the #5 spot on the list. Tufts is located in Medford, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Tufts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts is $6,516 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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.

Full Tufts Area Studies Report

#6

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Smith is located in Northampton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Smith, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $10,169 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Smith.

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%. 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.

Read more about Area Studies at Smith College

#7

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Boston U has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston University is $13,256 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Boston U

#8

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #8, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Mt. Holyoke is a private not-for-profit institution located in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mount Holyoke College is $17,192 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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 Mount Holyoke College

#9

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Brandeis is a medium-sized school located in Waltham, Massachusetts that handed out 70 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis is $16,074 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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 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.

Read full report on Area Studies at Brandeis University

#10

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Amherst, Massachusetts is the setting for this large 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 massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UMass Amherst has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts Amherst is $14,474 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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

#11

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts - Boston ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Massachusetts - Boston is located in Boston, Massachusetts and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

UMass Boston also took the #12 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $15,055 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston.

Full University of Massachusetts - Boston Area Studies Report

#12

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wheaton College Massachusetts is located in Norton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Wheaton College Massachusetts also took the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $22,008 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#13

Simmons University

Boston, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Simmons University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Simmons also took the #13 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Simmons University is $25,818 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Simmons University

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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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