2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that 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 the Southeast region, there were 1,003 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $31,229 and $21,228 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 797 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,277 and $25,415 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 17 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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One Size Does Not Fit All
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. 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 Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Vanderbilt University landed the #1 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Vanderbilt has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $3,156 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Vanderbilt University.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UNC Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 247 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Chapel Hill, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNC Chapel Hill is $4,026 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend William & Mary. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
William & Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for William & Mary is $4,711 for Southeast Region 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 93%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Emory University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Emory is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 46 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Emory did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $11,468 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Emory University.
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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Richmond. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Richmond is located in University of Richmond, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, URichmond has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for URichmond is $9,112 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
Florida International University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Florida International University is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 38 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
FIU also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $5,002 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend FIU.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Area Studies at Florida International University
Florida State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Florida State University is a large school located in Tallahassee, Florida that handed out 18 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Florida State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $5,360 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
University of Georgia did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. UGA is a large public school situated in Athens, Georgia. It awarded 5 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UGA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UGA is $7,541 for Southeast Region 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 94%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Virginia - Main Campus is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Virginia is $8,882 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.
Read more about Area Studies at University of Virginia - Main Campus
Tulane University of Louisiana landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tulane is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Tulane has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $23,968 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Tulane.
With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a 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 Tulane University of Louisiana
University of South Carolina - Columbia ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of South Carolina - Columbia is a large public school situated in Columbia, South Carolina. It awarded 37 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UofSC has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of South Carolina - Columbia is $12,426 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 full report on Area Studies at University of South Carolina - Columbia
University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a large public school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 6 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UNC Charlotte also took the #13 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $11,991 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read more about Area Studies at University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Virginia Commonwealth University is a public institution located in Richmond, Virginia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, VCU has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for VCU is $16,768 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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%.
Read more about Area Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University
George Mason University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. George Mason University is located in Fairfax, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
GMU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $16,204 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend GMU.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.
University of Louisville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. University of Louisville is located in Louisville, Kentucky and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UofL has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UofL is $13,058 for southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Louisville
The University of Alabama came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UA is a large school located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that handed out 20 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UA has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $19,322 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of Alabama.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
With a ranking of #17, Kennesaw State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southeast Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Kennesaw, Georgia, this large public school awarded 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our southeast region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, KSU Georgia has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for KSU Georgia is $13,975 for Southeast Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
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Best Area Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Area Studies Schools
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income less than $30k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income $48-$75k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in the Southeast Region
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Area Studies Graduates in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southeast Region (With Aid)
Area Studies students getting aid in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income $30-$48k in the Southeast Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Southeast Region
Area Studies students with family income $75-$110k in the Southeast Region
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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