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2027 Best Value Area Studies Schools in Maryland

[Area Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong area studies education at a price that pays off.

For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for area studies students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Area Studies Schools in Maryland

2027 Best Value Area Studies Schools in Maryland

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in area studies, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Area Studies Schools

1

Towson University
Towson, MD

$11,728 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,241 Avg Student Debt

$64,390 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in area studies, no school beat Towson University this year. Towson University is a very large public school located in the city of Towson. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,728, compared with $29,820 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for area studies graduates is $21,241. Early-career area studies graduates make about $50,370. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of Maryland University College
Adelphi, MD

$8,136 In-State Tuition & Fees

$23,276 Avg Student Debt

$65,287 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Maryland University College earned it the #2 place for area studies. Located in the suburb of Adelphi, University Of Maryland University College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,136, while out-of-state students pay about $12,336. Area Studies graduates carry a median of $23,276 in student loans. Early-career area studies graduates make about $48,650. Set against $23,276 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.

View All Area Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.