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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region

6 Ranked Colleges
14 Degrees Awarded
$35,000 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2021-2022, 6,257 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 115th most popular in the United States. In , area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $33,127 and had an average of $22,500 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 247 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,952 and $23,000 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 14 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,858 and $37,352 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region” ranking analyzed 6 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. That schools that top this list have a program in area studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region” 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. 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.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region master’s degree area studies students.

Top 6 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region

1
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Kansas. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region. KU is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 3 masters’s area studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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 freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Area Studies at KU

2
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 6 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Saint Louis University landed the #2 spot on the list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, 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 89%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Saint Louis University

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region list. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 3 masters’s area studies degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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%.

Full Washington University in St Louis Area Studies Report

4
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Iowa. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region list. Iowa is a large public school situated in Iowa City, Iowa. It awarded 2 masters’s area studies degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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%.

Full University of Iowa Area Studies Report

5

Out of the 6 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #5 spot on the list. UMN Twin Cities is a public institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at UMN Twin Cities

6
Creighton crest
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska

With a ranking of #6, Creighton University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Plains States Region list. Omaha, Nebraska is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 1 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at Creighton

Notes and References

References

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