2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 18 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,970 and $95,025 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region” ranking, we looked at 2 colleges that offer 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 Doctorate in the Southwest Region” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 Doctorate in the Southwest Region

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region.

Top 3 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Southwest Region

#1

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, Texas

#1 in overall quality

$22,886 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Austin. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 7 doctorate’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Austin also took the #1 spot in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at The University of Texas at Austin are $22,886, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Area Studies at UT Austin

#2

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico

#2 in overall quality

$19,890 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of New Mexico - Main Campus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region list. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 doctorate’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNM, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of New Mexico - Main Campus are $19,890.

Full UNM Area Studies Report

#3

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

#2 in overall quality

$33,399 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 2 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Doctorate in the Southwest Region 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 2 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona also took the #2 spot in our “Best Area Studies Doctor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Arizona are $33,399, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Arizona Area Studies Report

• Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies

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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