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2023 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies in the New England Region

16 Ranked Colleges
928 Degrees Awarded
$26,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region

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 in the New England Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 6,966 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 115th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $33,127 and had an average of $20,927 in loans still to pay off.

Across the New England region, there were 928 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,429 and $16,672 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” ranking analyzed 16 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the area studies program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 in the New England Region”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to 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 in the New England Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region.

Top 16 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies in the New England Region

1
UCONN crest
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Connecticut. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region. Storrs, Connecticut is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our new england region area studies students list, UCONN has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCONN is $22,974 for new england region area studies students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Connecticut Area Studies Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Massachusetts - Boston. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school handed out 20 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

UMass Boston not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston is $17,752 for New England Region Area Studies students.

Read more about Area Studies at UMass Boston

3
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Yale University landed the #3 spot on the list. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 58 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Yale also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Yale is $15,296 for new england region area studies students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Area Studies at Yale

4
Bowdoin crest
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bowdoin College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region list. Located in Brunswick, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 51 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

Bowdoin also took the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Bowdoin is $22,840 for new england region area studies students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Area Studies at Bowdoin College

5
Mt. Holyoke crest
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Mount Holyoke College landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and it awarded 17 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Mt. Holyoke not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Mt. Holyoke is $28,724 for new england region area studies students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Mt. Holyoke Area Studies Report

6
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region ranking. Williamstown, Massachusetts is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 24 students in 2020-2021.

Williams did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list. It costs about $23,497 for new england region area studies students per year to attend Williams College.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Full Williams Area Studies Report

7
Brandeis crest
Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region list. Brandeis is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waltham, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 70 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Brandeis also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend Brandeis University is $33,663 for new england region area studies students.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Area Studies at Brandeis University

8
Smith crest
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region ranking. Smith College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northampton, Massachusetts. It awarded 34 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our new england region area studies students list, Smith has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Smith College is $29,615 for New England Region Area Studies students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Smith Area Studies Report

9
Trinity Bantams crest
Trinity College
Hartford, Connecticut

Trinity College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region list. Trinity Bantams is a small school located in Hartford, Connecticut that handed out 33 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Trinity Bantams, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $32,694 for New England Region Area Studies students per year to attend Trinity Bantams.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area Studies at Trinity College

10
Middlebury crest
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont

Middlebury College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region ranking. Middlebury is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Middlebury, Vermont. It awarded 27 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Middlebury, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $26,525 for New England Region Area Studies students per year to attend Middlebury.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Middlebury Area Studies Report

11
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region list. Amherst College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 12 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Amherst also took the #10 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” ranking. It costs about $21,657 for New England Region Area Studies students per year to attend Amherst College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Area Studies at Amherst College

12
Conn College crest
Connecticut College
New London, Connecticut

Connecticut College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region ranking. Connecticut College is located in New London, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Conn College also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend Connecticut College is $30,977 for new england region area studies students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Connecticut College Area Studies Report

13
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire

With a ranking of #13, Dartmouth College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region list. Dartmouth College is a medium-sized school located in Hanover, New Hampshire that handed out 49 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Dartmouth also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Dartmouth is $32,410 for New England Region Area Studies students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Area Studies at Dartmouth College

14
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

With a ranking of #14, Brown University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region list. This fairly large school is located in Providence, Rhode Island, and it awarded 101 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Brown did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Brown University is $29,544 for new england region area studies students.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Area Studies at Brown

15
Wellesley crest
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region list. Wellesley College is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Wellesley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wellesley is $23,908 for New England Region Area Studies students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Area Studies at Wellesley

16
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the New England Region ranking. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 28 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Tufts, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the New England Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts is $37,494 for new england region area studies students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Tufts University

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