2027 Best Value European Studies Master’s Degree Schools

[European Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/european-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 10 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value european studies schools.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value European Studies Schools in the United States
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the european studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value European Studies Schools
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earned the #1 spot for value among european studies schools in the United States. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. In-state tuition and fees average $8,994, compared with $41,203 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $13,000 to complete the european studies program here. European Studies graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $31,955 early in their careers. Set against $13,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 15%.
University Of California Los Angeles came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value european studies schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,233 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $46,121. European Studies graduates carry a median of $17,746 in student loans. Soon after graduation, european studies degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles generally make around $23,819. Set against $17,746 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of California Los Angeles admits about 9% of applicants.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in european studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Typical student debt for european studies graduates is $14,922. European Studies graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $44,276 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,922 median debt. The acceptance rate is 39%.
University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value european studies schools. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,267, with out-of-state students paying around $40,096. Students borrow a median of $22,050 to complete the european studies program here. Soon after graduation, european studies degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign generally make around $24,332. Set against $22,050 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign admits about 42% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in european studies will find it at University Of Wisconsin Madison, which ranked #5. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. In-state tuition and fees average $11,603, with out-of-state students paying around $42,103. Students borrow a median of $20,850 to complete the european studies program here. Early-career european studies graduates make about $59,877. Set against $20,850 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Austin landed the #6 spot for european studies value this year. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, while out-of-state students pay about $44,908. Students borrow a median of $22,215 to complete the european studies program here. Soon after graduation, european studies degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Austin generally make around $46,699. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Ohio University Main Campus landed the #7 spot for european studies value this year. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. In-state tuition and fees average $14,158, while out-of-state students pay about $24,838. Students borrow a median of $24,546 to complete the european studies program here. European Studies graduates of Ohio University Main Campus earn a median of $49,736 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,546 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Yale University landed the #8 spot for european studies value this year. Located in the city of New Haven, Yale University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,250. Students borrow a median of $14,357 to complete the european studies program here. European Studies graduates of Yale University earn a median of $55,618 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,357 median debt. Yale University admits about 4% of applicants.
Duke University landed the #9 spot for european studies value this year. Located in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,758. Typical student debt for european studies graduates is $13,296. European Studies graduates of Duke University earn a median of $83,388 early in their careers. Set against $13,296 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
New York University came in at #10 for value in european studies this year. Set in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $62,796. Typical student debt for european studies graduates is $19,250. European Studies graduates of New York University earn a median of $51,233 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. New York University admits about 9% of applicants.
Other European Studies Degree Levels
Explore the best-value european studies schools at other degree levels:
View All European Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.