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2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

11 Ranked Colleges
983 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

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 Southeast region, there were 983 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,290 and $20,478 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree 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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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 11 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Southeast Region

1
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Duke is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 55 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Duke University is $7,160 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Duke University Area Studies Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 221 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $11,619 for southeast region area studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UNC Chapel Hill Area Studies Report

3
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #3 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 63 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

William & Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. It costs about $10,995 for southeast region area studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend William & Mary.

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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at William & Mary

4
URichmond crest
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Richmond. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Richmond, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 19 students in 2020-2021.

URichmond also took the #5 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Richmond is $16,063 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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. 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%.

Full University of Richmond Area Studies Report

5
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Florida. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 15 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UF did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $8,394 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UF Area Studies Report

6
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

With a ranking of #6, Emory University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Emory University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 51 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Emory did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Emory University is $16,646 for southeast region area studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at Emory University

7
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Florida State University is a large public school situated in Tallahassee, Florida. It awarded 15 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our southeast region area studies students whose families make $48-$75k list, Florida State has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. It costs about $11,506 for southeast region area studies students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Florida State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Area Studies at Florida State University

8
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

With a ranking of #8, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia - Main Campus is $16,019 for southeast region area studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Virginia - Main Campus

9
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky

University of Louisville ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Louisville, Kentucky, and it awarded 11 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UofL also took the #10 spot in our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UofL is $17,380 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Louisville

10

University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. UNC Charlotte is a public institution located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Charlotte not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte is $16,938 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UNC Charlotte Area Studies Report

11

Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. Virginia Commonwealth University is a large public school situated in Richmond, Virginia. It awarded 60 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

VCU also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southeast Region” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend VCU is $18,553 for Southeast Region Area Studies students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University

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