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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Middle Atlantic Region (With Aid)

37 Ranked Colleges
930 Degrees Awarded
$19,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid

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 Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid” 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 Middle Atlantic region, there were 1,588 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,617 and $28,196 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 930 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,278 and $24,587 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 37 colleges that offer a degree in area studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality area studies programs that also have a lower cost than 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

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 Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Middle Atlantic Region (With Aid)

#1

Lehman College

Bronx, New York
#22 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Lehman College. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Lehman is a fairly large school located in Bronx, New York that handed out 7 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Lehman also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $1,814 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend Lehman.

Read more about Area Studies at Lehman College

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. John Jay is a fairly large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 11 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $2,532 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Read more about Area Studies at John Jay

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Columbia University in the City of New York. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Columbia is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 62 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. It costs about $23,306 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid per year to attend Columbia.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Maryland Global Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid. Adelphi, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

UMGC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMGC is $14,288 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

Full University of Maryland Global Campus Area Studies Report

#5

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Maryland - College Park. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school awarded 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

UMCP not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Maryland - College Park is $19,045 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 full report on Area Studies at University of Maryland - College Park

#6

SUNY Old Westbury

Old Westbury, New York

With a ranking of #6, SUNY Old Westbury did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Old Westbury, New York, this medium-sized public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Old Westbury is $10,557 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

Full SUNY Old Westbury Area Studies Report

#7

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

Towson University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Towson is a public institution located in Towson, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Towson also took the #16 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Towson is $18,233 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Towson Area Studies Report

#8

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, New York
#15 in overall quality

Stony Brook University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Stony Brook, New York, this large public school awarded 25 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

SUNY Stony Brook not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for SUNY Stony Brook is $15,160 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at SUNY Stony Brook

#9

SUNY Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, New York
#20 in overall quality

SUNY Plattsburgh did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. SUNY Plattsburgh is a medium-sized school located in Plattsburgh, New York that handed out 5 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

SUNY Plattsburgh also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $15,845 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend SUNY Plattsburgh.

The low student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 SUNY Plattsburgh Area Studies Report

#10

Colgate University

Hamilton, New York

Colgate University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Colgate University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hamilton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Colgate did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $25,834 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid per year to attend Colgate University.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Colgate University

#11

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid list, Cornell has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cornell University is $40,126 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Area Studies at Cornell

#12

Ramapo College of New Jersey

Mahwah, New Jersey

Ramapo College of New Jersey landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Mahwah, New Jersey, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Ramapo College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $21,729 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend Ramapo College.

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 student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ramapo College Area Studies Report

#13

University of Delaware

Newark, Delaware
#17 in overall quality

University of Delaware came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UD is located in Newark, Delaware and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid list, UD has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UD is $17,220 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at UD

#14

SUNY New Paltz

New Paltz, New York

With a ranking of #14, SUNY New Paltz did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. This medium-sized school is located in New Paltz, New York, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $17,171 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend SUNY New Paltz.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY New Paltz Area Studies Report

#15

Binghamton University

Vestal, New York
#19 in overall quality

Binghamton University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Vestal, New York, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Binghamton University also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend Binghamton University is $19,353 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, 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 92%.

Read more about Area Studies at Binghamton University

#16

Rutgers University - New Brunswick

New Brunswick, New Jersey

Rutgers University - New Brunswick came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Rutgers New Brunswick is a public institution located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $21,654 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid per year to attend Rutgers University - New Brunswick.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Rutgers University - New Brunswick

With a ranking of #17, University of Maryland - Baltimore County did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Maryland - Baltimore County is a fairly large school located in Baltimore, Maryland that handed out 18 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $19,082 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid per year to attend University of Maryland - Baltimore County.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UMBC Area Studies Report

#18

University at Albany

Albany, New York

University at Albany ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Albany, New York, this fairly large public school handed out 24 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $18,577 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid per year to attend University at Albany.

Full University at Albany Area Studies Report

William Paterson University of New Jersey did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. William Paterson University is a medium-sized public school situated in Wayne, New Jersey. It awarded 4 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for William Paterson University of New Jersey is $19,547 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at William Paterson University

#20

Georgetown University

Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Georgetown also took the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Georgetown is $28,909 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 Georgetown Area Studies Report

#21

Barnard College

New York, New York

Barnard College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. Barnard College is a small school located in New York, New York that handed out 32 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Barnard also took the #5 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Barnard is $28,204 for Middle Atlantic Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full Barnard Area Studies Report

#22

Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs, New York

With a ranking of #22, Skidmore College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Saratoga Springs, New York, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Skidmore also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Skidmore College is $27,197 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Skidmore Area Studies Report

#23

Purchase College

Purchase, New York

Purchase College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Purchase College is a public institution located in Purchase, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Purchase College is $18,326 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

Read more about Area Studies at Purchase College

#24

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #24, Millersville University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a medium-sized school located in Millersville, Pennsylvania that handed out 13 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Millersville University of Pennsylvania is $23,350 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

Full Millersville University of Pennsylvania Area Studies Report

#25

Vassar College

Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Middle Atlantic Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Poughkeepsie, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 19 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Vassar not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Middle Atlantic Region” list. It costs about $26,208 for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend Vassar.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 93%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Area Studies at Vassar College

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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.

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