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2026 Best Value Area Studies Schools in District of Columbia

[Area Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for area studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Area Studies Schools in District of Columbia

2026 Best Value Area Studies Schools in District of Columbia

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the area studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Area Studies Schools

1

George Washington University
Washington, DC

$67,710 In-State Tuition & Fees

$25,500 Avg Student Debt

$90,873 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in area studies, no school beat George Washington University this year. Located in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,710. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete the area studies program here. Soon after graduation, area studies degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $73,749. Set against $25,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 47%.

2

Georgetown University
Washington, DC

$68,089 In-State Tuition & Fees

$16,483 Avg Student Debt

$103,494 Median Earnings (10yr)

Georgetown University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in area studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,089. Students borrow a median of $16,483 to complete the area studies program here. Early-career area studies graduates make about $64,851. Set against $16,483 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 13%.

View All Area Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.

• 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.