2023 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Far Western US Region
22
Ranked Colleges
1,234
Degrees Awarded
$11,200
Avg Net Price*
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 in the Far Western US Region 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.
Across the Far Western US region, there were 1,234 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,715 and $19,460 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 22 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality area studies programs that also have a lower cost than 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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 in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.
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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 22 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Far Western US Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 43 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanford also took the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $1,581 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
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. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Area Studies at Stanford
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 192 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UW Seattle is $6,399 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. 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 UW Seattle Area Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 105 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $9,999 for far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. 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 UC Berkeley Area Studies Report
Out of the 22 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 103 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,891 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Area Studies at UCLA
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 48 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, CSULB has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $7,573 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSULB.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Area Studies at CSULB
University of California - Davis came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
UC Davis also took the #5 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $11,598 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Davis.
The undergrad 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 University of California - Davis
University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 22 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSD is $11,176 for far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 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%.
Read more about Area Studies at University of California - San Diego
With a ranking of #8, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $5,821 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Area Studies at California State University - Fullerton
University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. University of California - Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 35 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Irvine also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Irvine is $8,449 for far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UC Irvine Area Studies Report
University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 38 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $11,606 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCSB.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of California - Santa Barbara Area Studies Report
San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
SDSU also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $9,274 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend San Diego State University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 San Diego State University Area Studies Report
University of California - Riverside landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 21 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCR has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $8,193 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full UCR Area Studies Report
Western Washington University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Western Washington University is a public institution located in Bellingham, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
WWU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $11,357 for far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Western Washington University.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Area Studies at WWU
California State University - Northridge ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 6 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, CSUN has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $7,103 for far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Area Studies at California State University - Northridge
University of Oregon landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Oregon is a large school located in Eugene, Oregon that handed out 25 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UO also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend University of Oregon is $13,709 for far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 UO
With a ranking of #16, University of Hawaii at Manoa did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Hawaii at Manoa is a fairly large school located in Honolulu, Hawaii that handed out 35 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UH Manoa, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UH Manoa is $12,172 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.
Full UH Manoa Area Studies Report
University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz also took the #17 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Santa Cruz is $12,049 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Area Studies at UC Santa Cruz
California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.
Chico State also took the #18 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $13,040 for Far Western US Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Chico.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Area Studies at California State University - Chico
California State University - Sacramento ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, Sac State has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $9,055 for far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Sac State.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Area Studies at Sac State
University of Washington - Bothell Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Bothell, Washington, this medium-sized public school awarded 10 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
UW Bothell also took the #22 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UW Bothell is $6,966 for far western us region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Area Studies at UW Bothell
