2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 6,820 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 106th most popular in the United States. 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 Southwest region, there were 301 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,500 and $25,548 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 70 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $53,078 and $37,227 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 3 colleges that offer a degree 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.

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.

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 Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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 for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region master’s degree area studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 3 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region

#1

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas

#1 in overall quality

$22,886 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$44,189 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Austin. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. UT Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our southwest region master’s degree area studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, UT Austin has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UT Austin are $22,886.

Full UT Austin Area Studies Report

#2

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

#2 in overall quality

$33,399 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$32,569 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Arizona. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 17 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Arizona, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399.

Full University of Arizona Area Studies Report

#3

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico

$19,890 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. UNM is a large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 6 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UNM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #0 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNM are $19,890, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of New Mexico - Main Campus Area Studies Report

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k)

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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