2022 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies in the Southwest Region (With Aid)

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this 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 Southwest region, there were 301 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,500 and $25,548 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 4 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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 in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid.

Top 4 Best Value Colleges for Area Studies in the Southwest Region (With Aid)

#1

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas

#1 in overall quality

$18,023 Average Net Price

$49,643 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #1 spot on the list. UT Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 93 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

UT Austin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $18,023 for Southwest Region Area Studies students with aid per year to attend The University of Texas at Austin.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Area Studies Report

#2

Arizona State University - Tempe

Tempe, Arizona

#2 in overall quality

$11,706 Average Net Price

$46,397 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Arizona State University - Tempe. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. Arizona State University - Tempe is a large school located in Tempe, Arizona that handed out 26 ’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $11,706 for Southwest Region Area Studies students with aid per year to attend ASU - Tempe.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Area Studies at Arizona State University - Tempe

#3

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

#3 in overall quality

$15,016 Average Net Price

$44,160 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Arizona landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Tucson, Arizona, this large public school awarded 61 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arizona is $15,016 for southwest region area studies students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Arizona

#4

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico

#4 in overall quality

$14,446 Average Net Price

$41,938 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and it awarded 32 ’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UNM also made our “Best Area Studies Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $14,446 for Southwest Region Area Studies students with aid per year to attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus.

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

• Best Value Colleges for Area Studies (With Aid)

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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