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

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this 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 Massachusetts, there were 469 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,600 and $18,123 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 62 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,240 and $41,137 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 4 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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

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 Master’s 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

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

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

Top 4 Best Value Master’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

$39,369 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvard University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid. Harvard is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 47 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Harvard University are $50,654.

Read more about Area Studies at Harvard University

#2

University of Massachusetts - Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

#3 in overall quality

$36,485 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Massachusetts - Boston is a public institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMass Boston also took the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UMass Boston are $36,485, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Area Studies at UMass Boston

#3

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

$57,666 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Boston University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid list. Boston University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Boston U, the school also landed the #0 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Boston U are $57,666, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Boston U Area Studies Report

#4

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

#2 in overall quality

$52,060 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in Massachusetts For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Brandeis University landed the #4 spot on the list. Brandeis is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Waltham, Massachusetts. It awarded 5 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandeis also took the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Brandeis are $52,060, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Brandeis University Area Studies Report

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