2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this 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 Illinois, there were 139 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,433 and $25,759 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 46 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $57,267 and $46,814 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 4 colleges that offer 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. 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 Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 4 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in Illinois

#1

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

#1 in overall quality

$61,548 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$38,289 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #1 spot on the list. UChicago is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois master’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k list, UChicago has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Chicago are $61,548.

Full UChicago Area Studies Report

#2

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, Illinois

#2 in overall quality

$30,083 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 14 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083.

Read full report on Area Studies at UIUC

#3

University of Illinois at Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

#3 in overall quality

$27,036 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Illinois at Chicago. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Illinois at Chicago is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 6 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIC, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UIC Area Studies Report

#4

Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago, Illinois

$17,032 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northeastern Illinois University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Illinois For Those Making $75-$110k. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this medium-sized public school awarded 1 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Northeastern Illinois University also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern Illinois University are $17,032, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Area Studies at Northeastern Illinois University

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Great Lakes Region
• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k)

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.

Featured Political and Social Sciences Schools

Request Info

Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More >