by our College Data Analytics Team
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 6,966 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 115th most popular in the United States. 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.
At the associate degree level specifically, there were 180 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,806 and $19,336 respectively.
For this year’s “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major” ranking, we looked at 31 colleges that offer a degree in area studies. That schools that top this list have a program in area studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for associate degree area studies students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Coastline Community College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major. Coastline Community College is located in Fountain Valley, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 107 associates’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Area Studies at Coastline Community College
Out of the 31 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Citrus College landed the #2 spot on the list. Citrus College is located in Glendora, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 23 associates’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Berkeley City College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Berkeley City College is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 3 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Santa Ana College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. This large school is located in Santa Ana, California, and it awarded 11 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Out of the 31 schools in the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Santa Rosa Junior College landed the #5 spot on the list. SRJC is a public institution located in Santa Rosa, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #6, Foothill College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. This fairly large school is located in Los Altos Hills, California, and it awarded 3 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
San Jose City College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. San Jose City College is a medium-sized school located in San Jose, California that handed out 2 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #8, Sacramento City College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Located in Sacramento, California, this fairly large public school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified associates’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
Laney College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Located in Oakland, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 1 diplomas to qualified associates’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
Arkansas Tech University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Arkansas Tech University is a medium-sized public school situated in Russellville, Arkansas. It awarded 3 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Area Studies at Arkansas Tech University
Orange Coast College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #11. This fairly large school is located in Costa Mesa, California, and it awarded 4 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Riverside City College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Riverside City College is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 associates’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Monterey Peninsula College ranked #13 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Monterey Peninsula College is a medium-sized public school situated in Monterey, California. It awarded 1 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
College of the Desert landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. This fairly large school is located in Palm Desert, California, and it awarded 1 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Lansing Community College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. LCC is a public institution located in Lansing, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Moreno Valley College ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Moreno Valley, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s area studies degrees to 1 students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #17, Chabot College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Chabot College is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 1 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #18, Los Angeles Pierce College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. This fairly large school is located in Woodland Hills, California, and it awarded 1 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
American River College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #19. American River is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #20, Irvine Valley College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Irvine Valley College is located in Irvine, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 associates’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Saddleback College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Saddleback College is a public institution located in Mission Viejo, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Central New Mexico Community College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. CNM is a fairly large public school situated in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It awarded 1 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Bucks County Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Located in Newtown, Pennsylvania, this medium-sized public school handed out 0 diplomas to qualified associates’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #23, Canada College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. This small school is located in Redwood City, California, and it awarded 0 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Cabrillo College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Cabrillo College is a medium-sized public school situated in Aptos, California. It awarded 0 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
American Samoa Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #23. American Samoa Community College is a public institution located in PagoPago, . The school has a small population, and it awarded 0 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
College of Southern Nevada did quite well in the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #23. College of Southern Nevada is a large school located in Las Vegas, Nevada that handed out 0 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Folsom Lake College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. Folsom, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s area studies degrees to 0 students in 2020-2021.
Adrian College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Adrian, Michigan, and it awarded 4 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Great Bay Community College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Great Bay Community College is a small public school situated in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It awarded 0 associates’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #23, Fullerton College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for an Associate Highly Focused on Area Studies Major list. Fullerton, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s area studies degrees to 0 students in 2020-2021.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
