2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 the Southeast region, there were 1,003 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,229 and $21,228 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 797 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 17 colleges that offered 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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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 Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast 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 Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid.
Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UNC Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 247 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UNC Chapel Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $12,352 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.
The low 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 freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida International University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. FIU is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 38 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid list, FIU has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $7,296 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid per year to attend Florida International University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend William & Mary. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. William & Mary is a public institution located in Williamsburg, Virginia. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid list, William & Mary has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $19,800 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid. Florida State is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Florida State also took the #15 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $9,789 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend Florida State University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, 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 95%.
Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia is $20,397 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Vanderbilt University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Vanderbilt is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 22 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Vanderbilt University is $19,432 for southeast 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, 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 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
University of Georgia ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UGA is located in Athens, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
UGA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Georgia is $13,649 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. UNC Charlotte is a large public school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 6 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UNC Charlotte also took the #13 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of North Carolina at Charlotte is $16,529 for Southeast 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.
Emory University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Emory University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 46 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Emory, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Emory University is $23,734 for Southeast Region 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. 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 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
George Mason University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. GMU is a large school located in Fairfax, Virginia that handed out 8 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
GMU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $21,048 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend George Mason University.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #11, The University of Alabama did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. UA is a large school located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that handed out 20 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UA is $22,597 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
University of Louisville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. University of Louisville is a public institution located in Louisville, Kentucky. The school has a large population, and it awarded 13 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UofL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UofL is $16,867 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.
With a ranking of #13, University of Richmond did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Richmond is a small private not-for-profit school situated in University of Richmond, Virginia. It awarded 33 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid list, URichmond has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Richmond is $25,838 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Virginia Commonwealth University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution located in Richmond, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
VCU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend VCU is $22,021 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of South Carolina - Columbia ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of South Carolina - Columbia is a large school located in Columbia, South Carolina that handed out 37 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UofSC, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $20,509 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid per year to attend University of South Carolina - Columbia.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of South Carolina - Columbia Area Studies Report
Kennesaw State University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Kennesaw, Georgia, this large public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
KSU Georgia also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for KSU Georgia is $17,221 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students with aid.
Tulane University of Louisiana landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Tulane also took the #7 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Tulane University of Louisiana is $37,841 for Southeast Region 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 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.
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African Studies
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies, Other in the Southeast Region (With Aid)
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Chinese Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)
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Best Area Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Area Studies Schools
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income less than $30k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income $48-$75k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in the Southeast Region
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Area Studies Graduates in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)
Area Studies students getting aid in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income $30-$48k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income $75-$110k in the Southeast Region
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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