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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in Massachusetts (With Aid)

13 Ranked Colleges
364 Degrees Awarded
$24,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that 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 Massachusetts, there were 469 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,600 and $18,123 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 364 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 13 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. 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 for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in Massachusetts (With Aid)

#1

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Amherst College landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid list, Amherst has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $18,524 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid per year to attend Amherst College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Amherst College Area Studies Report

#2

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #2 spot on the list. Harvard is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 26 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard is $15,386 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 Harvard University

#3

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wellesley College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. This small school is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Wellesley also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $22,087 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid per year to attend Wellesley College.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Wellesley College Area Studies Report

#4

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #4 spot on the list. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 21 students in 2019-2020.

Williams not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Williams College is $19,480 for Massachusetts 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 impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Williams Area Studies Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Massachusetts - Boston. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. This fairly large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Boston not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $18,340 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend UMass Boston.

Read more about Area Studies at UMass Boston

#6

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

University of Massachusetts Amherst came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this large public school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst also took the #11 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst is $22,501 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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 full report on Area Studies at University of Massachusetts Amherst

#7

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Smith also took the #7 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $28,305 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend Smith College.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Smith

#8

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Tufts University is a fairly large school located in Medford, Massachusetts that handed out 30 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #5. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $30,744 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, 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 Tufts

#9

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Boston University is a large school located in Boston, Massachusetts that handed out 15 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston U, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Boston University is $30,259 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Boston University

#10

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a private not-for-profit institution located in Norton, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Massachusetts also took the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts is $26,809 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

The low 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area Studies at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#11

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking. Mount Holyoke College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It awarded 16 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Mt. Holyoke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Mt. Holyoke is $27,149 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Mount Holyoke College

#12

Simmons University

Boston, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

Simmons University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Simmons is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 2 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Simmons also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend Simmons University is $30,008 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

The 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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Simmons Area Studies Report

#13

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Waltham, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 70 students in 2019-2020.

Brandeis also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Brandeis University is $31,165 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Brandeis

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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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