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2026 Highest Paid Area Studies Grads in the The Plains States Region

[Area Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their area studies graduates go on to command.

For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find where area studies graduates earn the most.

What’s on this page:

• Highest Paid Area Studies Grads in the The Plains States Region

2026 Highest Paid Area Studies Grads in the The Plains States Region

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

Highest Paid Area Studies Graduates

1

University Of Missouri Columbia
Columbia, MO

$59,671 Average Early-Career Salary

For graduate earnings in area studies, no school beat University Of Missouri Columbia this year. University Of Missouri Columbia is a public school located in the city of Columbia. Early-career area studies graduates from University Of Missouri Columbia make a median of around $59,671 per year.

2

St Olaf College
Northfield, MN

$44,159 Average Early-Career Salary

A rank of #2 makes St Olaf College one of the highest-paying schools for area studies. Located in the town of Northfield, St Olaf College is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the area studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $44,159.

3

Washington University In St Louis
St. Louis, MO

$30,716 Average Early-Career Salary

Strong graduate earnings at Washington University In St Louis earned it the #3 place for area studies. Washington University In St Louis is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of St. Louis. Area Studies graduates of Washington University In St Louis earn a median of about $30,716 a year early in their careers.

4

University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

$19,426 Average Early-Career Salary

A rank of #4 makes University Of Iowa one of the highest-paying schools for area studies. Located in the city of Iowa City, University Of Iowa is a public institution. After graduating, area studies degree recipients from University Of Iowa typically earn about $19,426 annually.

View All Area Studies Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their area studies graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).

Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 4 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.