2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Master’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.
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.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,036 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 71 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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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 Master’s For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons 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.
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (With Aid)
Out of the 71 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 32 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree area studies students with aid list, Stanford has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Florida. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 11 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UF are $30,130, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid. UW Seattle is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 29 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Washington - Seattle Campus are $30,294.
Read more about Area Studies at University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Out of the 71 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #4 spot on the list. Cambridge, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree area studies students with aid list, Harvard has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Harvard are $50,654.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Yale University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Yale not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Yale are $44,500, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #6, The City College of New York did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. CCNY is a public institution located in New York, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at CCNY are $20,832, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
U-M also took the #6 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548.
Read more about Area Studies at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. UNC Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 2 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are $30,248, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #9, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 14 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UIUC, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083.
Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Area Studies Report
With a ranking of #10, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 4 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University - Main Campus are $28,794, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Los Angeles came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 15 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of California - Los Angeles landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.
UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Los Angeles are $28,131, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Area Studies at University of California - Los Angeles
With a ranking of #13, University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Madison also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #21. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Area Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison
With a ranking of #13, Florida International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Florida International University is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 18 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Florida International University are $24,211, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Area Studies at Florida International University
Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 14 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at IU Bloomington, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Indiana University - Bloomington are $33,338, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
The University of Texas at Austin landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. UT Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
UT Austin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Austin are $22,886, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in New York, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 47 diplomas to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $51,194, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full Columbia University in the City of New York Area Studies Report
University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Tampa, Florida, this large public school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at USF Tampa are $21,126, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full University of South Florida - Main Campus Area Studies Report
California State University - Fullerton came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #20, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 6 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Long Beach are $17,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Illinois at Chicago came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 6 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UIC are $27,036.
University of California - Berkeley came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley also took the #18 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full University of California - Berkeley Area Studies Report
University of Maryland - College Park came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UMCP are $30,885, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full University of Maryland - College Park Area Studies Report
University of California - Riverside landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UCR are $28,686, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Area Studies at University of California - Riverside
University of Virginia - Main Campus came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Virginia are $32,394, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full University of Virginia - Main Campus 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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Karl Udo Gerth.
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