2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

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 Doctorate in the Plains States Region 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 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 $30-$48k” ranking looked at 3 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

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.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

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 Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

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

Top 3 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

#1

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

#2 in overall quality

$28,845 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 $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #1 spot on the list. UMN Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 3 doctorate’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. 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 UMN Twin Cities

#2

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

#1 in overall quality

$27,613 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa also made our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #1. 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.

Full Iowa Area Studies Report

#3

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

#3 in overall quality

$25,007 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Kansas. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Kansas is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 2 doctorate’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Kansas are $25,007, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full KU Area Studies Report

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k)

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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