2023 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
11
Ranked Colleges
983
Degrees Awarded
$8,500
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.
Area Studies is the 115th most popular major in the country with 6,966 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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 Southeast region, there were 983 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,290 and $20,478 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 11 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools
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 in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. 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 in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 11 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Duke University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 55 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Duke, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Duke is $-927 for Southeast Region 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 0.3% 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%.
Read more about Area Studies at Duke University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 221 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UNC Chapel Hill has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $5,729 for southeast region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.
Read more about Area Studies at UNC Chapel Hill
Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #3 spot on the list. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 63 students in 2020-2021.
William & Mary also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $7,507 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, 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 more about Area Studies at William & Mary
Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Emory University landed the #4 spot on the list. Emory is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Emory not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Emory is $8,976 for Southeast Region 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. 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 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 more about Area Studies at Emory
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 15 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our southeast region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UF has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $2,857 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, 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 97%.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Florida
University of Richmond ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.
URichmond also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #5. It costs about $8,606 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Richmond.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. 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.
Read full report on Area Studies at URichmond
Florida State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school awarded 15 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
Florida State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $7,349 for southeast region 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Florida State University
University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $10,063 for southeast region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus.
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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Virginia - Main Campus
With a ranking of #9, University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a large school located in Charlotte, North Carolina that handed out 19 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
UNC Charlotte not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Charlotte is $13,226 for Southeast Region 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 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UNC Charlotte Area Studies Report
Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 60 students in 2020-2021.
VCU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $15,891 for southeast region area studies students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Virginia Commonwealth University.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Virginia Commonwealth University Area Studies Report
