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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Area Studies

464 Ranked Colleges
6,966 Degrees Awarded
$33,100 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Area Studies is the 115th most popular major in the country with 6,966 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $33,127 and had an average of $20,927 in loans still to pay off.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major” ranking analyzed 464 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their area studies program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Area Studies

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a small school located in Fort-Worth, Texas that handed out 647 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Area Studies Report

2
Bowdoin crest
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine

Out of the 464 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Bowdoin College landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Brunswick, Maine, and it awarded 51 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Bowdoin Area Studies Report

3
Wesleyan U crest
Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wesleyan University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Middletown, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 79 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Wesleyan U Area Studies Report

4
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Connecticut College
New London, Connecticut

Out of the 464 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Connecticut College landed the #4 spot on the list. New London, Connecticut is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Area Studies at Connecticut College

5
Barnard crest
Barnard College
New York, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Barnard College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 36 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Barnard

6
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Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio

Oberlin College ranked #6 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Located in Oberlin, Ohio, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 41 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Oberlin College Area Studies Report

7
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Scripps College
Claremont, California

Scripps College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #7. Scripps College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Scripps

8
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Trinity College
Hartford, Connecticut

Trinity College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Trinity Bantams is a private not-for-profit institution located in Hartford, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Trinity Bantams Area Studies Report

9
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Coastline Community College
Fountain Valley, California

Coastline Community College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Coastline Community College is located in Fountain Valley, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 107 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Read more about Area Studies at Coastline Community College

10
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Houghton College
Houghton, New York

Houghton College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Houghton is located in Houghton, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Houghton Area Studies Report

11
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Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #11, Dickinson College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Carlisle, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Dickinson College Area Studies Report

12
Smith crest
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #12, Smith College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 34 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Smith College Area Studies Report

13
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Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #13, Williams College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Williams is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 24 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Area Studies at Williams

14
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

With a ranking of #14, Brown University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 101 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Brown University Area Studies Report

15
Middlebury crest
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont

Middlebury College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Located in Middlebury, Vermont, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 27 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Area Studies at Middlebury

16
Wellesley crest
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts

Wellesley College landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Wellesley is located in Wellesley, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Wellesley

17

With a ranking of #17, Hobart and William Smith Colleges did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Hobart and William Smith Colleges is located in Geneva, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Area Studies at The Colleges

18
Furman crest
Furman University
Greenville, South Carolina

With a ranking of #18, Furman University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Furman University is a small school located in Greenville, South Carolina that handed out 27 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Furman

19
Brandeis crest
Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Brandeis University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Waltham, Massachusetts. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 70 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Brandeis

20
St. Olaf crest
St Olaf College
Northfield, Minnesota

St Olaf College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. St. Olaf is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northfield, Minnesota. It awarded 28 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full St Olaf College Area Studies Report

21
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

With a ranking of #21, Carleton College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Carleton is a small school located in Northfield, Minnesota that handed out 15 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Area Studies at Carleton

22
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Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Franklin and Marshall College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Franklin and Marshall is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 18 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Franklin and Marshall College Area Studies Report

23
Amherst crest
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Amherst College is located in Amherst, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Amherst College

24
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Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina

Davidson College ranked #24 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Davidson College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Davidson, North Carolina. It awarded 15 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Area Studies at Davidson

25
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Located in Poughkeepsie, New York, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 17 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Vassar College

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
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Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts
27
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Colgate University
Hamilton, New York
28
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Earlham College
Richmond, Indiana
29
Gustavus Adolphus crest
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota
30
31
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Rhodes College
Memphis, Tennessee
32
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Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire
33
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Hamilton College
Clinton, New York
34
Colby crest
Colby College
Waterville, Maine
35
36
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William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia
37
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Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York
38
Wittenberg crest
Wittenberg University
Springfield, Ohio
39
Siena Heights University crest
Siena Heights University
Adrian, Michigan
40
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Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia
41
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Occidental College
Los Angeles, California
42
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Bucknell University
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
43
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Stonehill College
Easton, Massachusetts
44
45
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Berea College
Berea, Kentucky
46
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Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania
47
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Agnes Scott College
Decatur, Georgia
48
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Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo, Michigan
49
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Bates College
Lewiston, Maine
50
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Goucher College
Baltimore, Maryland

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major

While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Rank College Location
51 Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA
52 Colorado College Colorado Springs, CO
53 Willamette University Salem, OR
54 University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA
55 Austin College Sherman, TX
56 Princeton University Princeton, NJ
57 Hampshire College Amherst, MA
58 Yale University New Haven, CT
59 Pitzer College Claremont, CA
59 Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL
61 Coe College Cedar Rapids, IA
62 University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA
63 Knox College Galesburg, IL
64 Wheaton College Massachusetts Norton, MA
65 Macalester College Saint Paul, MN
Rank College Location
66 University of Hawaii at Hilo Hilo, HI
67 Morehouse College Atlanta, GA
68 College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA
69 Lawrence University Appleton, WI
70 Bennington College Bennington, VT

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References

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