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

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 Doctorate in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts, there were 469 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,600 and $18,123 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 26 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $73,213 and $99,210 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 3 colleges that offered 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

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 Doctorate in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid.

Top 3 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in Massachusetts (With Aid)

#1

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts

#1 in overall quality

$50,654 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$59,417 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 3 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 18 degrees to qualified doctorate’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Harvard also took the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Harvard are $50,654, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Harvard Area Studies Report

#2

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

#3 in overall quality

$57,666 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Boston University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified doctorate’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Boston U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Boston University are $57,666, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Boston University Area Studies Report

#3

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

#2 in overall quality

$52,060 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brandeis University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Brandeis is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Waltham, Massachusetts. It awarded 4 doctorate’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis also made our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at Brandeis University are $52,060, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Brandeis University Area Studies Report

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the New England Region (With Aid)
• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (With Aid)

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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