2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s” ranking.
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” ranking looked at 67 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at Austin. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Austin, the school also landed the #15 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 The University of Texas at Austin are $22,886.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - Madison. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s. UW - 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 took the #21 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Out of the 67 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Trinity College landed the #3 spot on the list. Trinity College is located in Hartford, Connecticut and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Trinity College are $17,830, 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 Kansas. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s. KU is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Kansas are $25,007, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Saint Louis University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s list. SLU is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 5 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 SLU are $22,074.
Ohio University - Athens Campus came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Ohio University - Athens Campus is a large public school situated in Athens, Ohio. It awarded 20 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio University - Athens Campus are $17,712, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Area Studies at Ohio University - Athens Campus
California State University - Long Beach landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 6 diplomas to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Long Beach are $17,784.
Read full report on Area Studies at California State University - Long Beach
Cornell University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Cornell also took the #10 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell University are $30,042, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
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 list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a large public school situated in Champaign, Illinois. It awarded 14 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UIUC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #10. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
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 UCLA are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Bowling Green State University - Main Campus came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bowling Green, Ohio, and it awarded 5 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 BGSU are $15,823.
Full Bowling Green State University - Main Campus Area Studies Report
Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #12. West Lafayette, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University - Main Campus are $28,794, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Area Studies at Purdue University - Main Campus
University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 29 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UW Seattle also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #20. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #14, George Washington University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s list. GWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
GWU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at GWU are $31,824, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #15, University of New Mexico - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Albuquerque, New Mexico is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of New Mexico - Main Campus are $19,890, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Area Studies at University of New Mexico - Main Campus
With a ranking of #16, Florida International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s list. FIU is a large public school situated in Miami, Florida. It awarded 18 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at FIU are $24,211, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #16, University of Iowa did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Located in Iowa City, Iowa, this large public school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Iowa are $27,613.
University of San Francisco landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. USFCA is located in San Francisco, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
USFCA also took the #25 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at USFCA are $26,710, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Florida came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. UF is a large school located in Gainesville, Florida that handed out 11 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UF are $30,130, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #20, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a public institution located in Bloomington, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14 masters’s 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 IU Bloomington are $33,338, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of South Florida - Main Campus came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at USF Tampa are $21,126, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Area Studies at University of South Florida - Main Campus
University of Utah landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. U of U is a large school located in Salt Lake City, Utah that handed out 4 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Utah are $24,695, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are $30,248.
With a ranking of #24, University of Maryland - College Park did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s list. UMCP is a public institution located in College Park, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UMCP are $30,885, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s ranking. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UNC Charlotte are $21,055, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Area Studies at University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k)
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k)
Area Studies students with family income $48-$75k
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Area Studies students getting aid
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k)
Area Studies students with family income $30-$48k
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Area Studies students with family income $75-$110k
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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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