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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in Massachusetts

13 Ranked Colleges
364 Degrees Awarded
$41,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k” 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 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 Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k” ranking looked at 13 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent area studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the area studies program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

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Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts - Boston landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this fairly large public school awarded 14 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 more than $110k list, UMass Boston has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMass Boston is $18,340 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Massachusetts - Boston

#2

Wheaton College Massachusetts

Norton, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Wheaton College Massachusetts landed the #2 spot on the list. Wheaton College Massachusetts is located in Norton, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Wheaton College Massachusetts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The estimated yearly cost for Wheaton College Massachusetts is $26,809 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Wheaton College Massachusetts

#3

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, Massachusetts

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Massachusetts Amherst landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, this large public school awarded 6 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

UMass Amherst also took the #11 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Massachusetts Amherst is $22,501 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at UMass Amherst

#4

Harvard University

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #4 spot on the list. Harvard University is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 26 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvard also made our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $15,386 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Harvard.

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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Area Studies at Harvard

#5

Williams College

Williamstown, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Williams College. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k list. Williams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k list, Williams has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $19,480 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Williams.

The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 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. 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 Williams

#6

Simmons University

Boston, Massachusetts
#13 in overall quality

Simmons University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

Simmons also took the #13 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Simmons is $30,008 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Area Studies at Simmons University

#7

Wellesley College

Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k list. Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wellesley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. It costs about $22,087 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Wellesley.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.5%, 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 93%.

Read more about Area Studies at Wellesley College

#8

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, Massachusetts

Mount Holyoke College did quite well in the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #8. Mt. Holyoke is a private not-for-profit institution located in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The school has a small population, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k list, Mt. Holyoke has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $27,149 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Mount Holyoke College.

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%. 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.

Read more about Area Studies at Mt. Holyoke

#9

Amherst College

Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College did quite well in the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k ranking, coming in at #9. Amherst is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Amherst also took the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Amherst is $18,524 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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 low student loan default rate of 3.8% 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 Amherst College

#10

Smith College

Northampton, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #10, Smith College did quite well on the 2022 Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k list. Smith is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northampton, Massachusetts. It awarded 40 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Smith did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Smith is $28,305 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Smith College Area Studies Report

#11

Brandeis University

Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k list. Located in Waltham, Massachusetts, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 70 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 more than $110k list, Brandeis has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. It costs about $31,165 for Massachusetts Bachelor’s Degree Area Studies students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Brandeis.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Read more about Area Studies at Brandeis

#12

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k list. This fairly large school is located in Medford, Massachusetts, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Tufts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” list. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $30,744 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Tufts University

#13

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Vallue Area Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in Massachusetts For Those Making Over $110k list. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Boston U also took the #8 spot in our “Best Area Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Massachusetts” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Boston University is $30,259 for massachusetts bachelor’s degree area studies students whose families make more than $110k.

The low 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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.

Full Boston University Area Studies Report

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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.

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