2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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 Plains States region, there were 335 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,400 and $23,969 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 274 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality area studies programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k.
Top 11 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
WUSTL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for WUSTL is $25,505 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Missouri - Columbia. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Mizzou is a large public school situated in Columbia, Missouri. It awarded 76 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Mizzou, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mizzou is $19,595 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, 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 89%.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Missouri - Columbia
Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #3 spot on the list. Iowa State University is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 14 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $17,228 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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 Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. UMN Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
UMN Twin Cities not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $19,942 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend St Olaf College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k. St Olaf College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Northfield, Minnesota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k list, St. Olaf has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $22,977 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend St Olaf College.
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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
With a ranking of #6, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this fairly large public school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
UMN Duluth not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $19,042 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
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%.
With a ranking of #7, Carleton College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Carleton also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #3. The estimated yearly cost for Carleton is $23,290 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.
University of Iowa ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of Iowa is a public institution located in Iowa City, Iowa. The school has a large population, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $20,738 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Iowa.
The low student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 2 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Minnesota State Mankato did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $18,312 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato.
The 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 Minnesota State University - Mankato Area Studies Report
With a ranking of #10, Saint Louis University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k list. Saint Louis University is a fairly large school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 7 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
SLU also took the #5 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $26,969 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend SLU.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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.
University of Kansas landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
KU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Kansas is $20,981 for plains states region bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
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Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Southeast Region
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Best Area Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Most Focused Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Online Area Studies Schools
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income less than $30k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income $48-$75k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income exceeding $110k in the Plains States Region
Highest Paid Bachelor's Degree Area Studies Graduates in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Plains States Region (With Aid)
Area Studies students getting aid in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income $30-$48k in the Plains States Region
Best Value Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in the Plains States Region
Area Studies students with family income $75-$110k in the Plains States 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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