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2026 Highest Paid Area Studies Grads in District of Columbia

[Area Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their area studies graduates go on to command.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the early-career earnings of their area studies graduates.

What’s on this page:

• Highest Paid Area Studies Grads in District of Columbia

2026 Highest Paid Area Studies Grads in District of Columbia

Below are the schools whose area studies graduates go on to earn the most.

Highest Paid Area Studies Graduates

1

George Washington University
Washington, DC

$84,682 Average Early-Career Salary

For graduate earnings in area studies, no school beat George Washington University this year. Located in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a private not-for-profit institution. Area Studies graduates of George Washington University earn a median of about $84,682 a year early in their careers.

2

Georgetown University
Washington, DC

$92,225 Average Early-Career Salary

Georgetown University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying area studies schools. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career area studies graduates from Georgetown University make a median of around $92,225 per year.

3

American University
Washington, DC

$67,023 Average Early-Career Salary

American University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in area studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career area studies graduates from American University make a median of around $67,023 per year.

View All Area Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries area studies graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).

Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 schools evaluated.

*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.

• 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.
• Graduate earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard) field-of-study earnings.

More about our data sources and methodologies.