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

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” 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 the Southwest region, there were 301 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,500 and $25,548 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 18 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,970 and $95,025 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 3 colleges that offer a degree in area studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great area studies programs and 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

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 Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” 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. 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 Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid

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

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

#1

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas

#1 in overall quality

$22,886 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 3 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #1 spot on the list. UT Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region doctor’s degree area studies students with aid list, UT Austin has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at Austin are $22,886, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Area Studies at The University of Texas at Austin

#2

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico

#2 in overall quality

$19,890 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is a large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 9 doctorate’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNM, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UNM are $19,890, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Area Studies at University of New Mexico - Main Campus

#3

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

#2 in overall quality

$33,399 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Arizona. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. Tucson, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s area studies degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Arizona

• 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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