2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 Massachusetts, there were 469 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,600 and $18,123 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 364 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $42,887 and $24,387 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 13 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
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More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools
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 Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k”.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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 Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in Massachusetts
Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Williams College landed the #1 spot on the list. This small school is located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Williams has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Williams College is $2,498 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 90%. The impressive 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.
Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #2 spot on the list. Harvard is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Harvard, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Harvard University is $2,973 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Amherst College landed the #3 spot on the list. Amherst is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 28 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Amherst, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Amherst College is $6,079 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The impressive 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. 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Wellesley College landed the #4 spot on the list. Wellesley is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Wellesley also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Wellesley is $8,785 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The impressive 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tufts University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.
Tufts not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Tufts University is $5,267 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low 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 ranking of #6, Smith College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 40 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Smith also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for Smith is $6,075 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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.
With a ranking of #7, Brandeis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 70 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Brandeis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brandeis University is $13,567 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 90%.
Boston University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Boston U has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $12,903 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Boston U.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. University of Massachusetts Amherst is a large public school situated in Amherst, Massachusetts. It awarded 6 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UMass Amherst not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $13,137 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Massachusetts Amherst
Mount Holyoke College landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Mt. Holyoke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $12,063 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Mt. Holyoke.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMass Boston, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Boston is $13,859 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full University of Massachusetts - Boston Area Studies Report
Wheaton College Massachusetts landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Norton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Wheaton College Massachusetts also took the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $20,511 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wheaton College Massachusetts.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.
Simmons University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making $0-$30k list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Simmons has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Simmons is $22,999 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
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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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