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2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region

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Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region

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 a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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.

Across the Middle Atlantic region, there were 1,538 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,912 and $23,607 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 968 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,457 and $25,851 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking, we looked at 107 colleges that offer 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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The area studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for middle atlantic region bachelor’s degree area studies students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in the Middle Atlantic Region

1
Barnard crest
Barnard College
New York, New York

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Barnard College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 36 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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.

Full Barnard College Area Studies Report

2
Houghton crest
Houghton College
Houghton, New York

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Houghton College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region. Houghton College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Houghton, New York. It awarded 12 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 full report on Area Studies at Houghton College

3
Dickinson crest
Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dickinson College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region. This small school is located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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 1.9% 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 full report on Area Studies at Dickinson

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hobart and William Smith Colleges. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region. The Colleges is a private not-for-profit institution located in Geneva, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’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 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges

5
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Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Franklin and Marshall College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Franklin and Marshall is a small school located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that handed out 18 bachelors’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 1.8% 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%.

Read more about Area Studies at Franklin and Marshall College

6
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York

Vassar College ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Vassar is a private not-for-profit institution located in Poughkeepsie, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Vassar College

7
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

With a ranking of #7, Colgate University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Hamilton, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 22 students 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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Colgate Area Studies Report

8
Hamilton crest
Hamilton College
Clinton, New York

Hamilton College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Hamilton is a small school located in Clinton, New York that handed out 13 bachelors’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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Area Studies at Hamilton College

9
Skidmore crest
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York

Skidmore College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in Saratoga Springs, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 13 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. 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.

Full Skidmore College Area Studies Report

10
Bucknell crest
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Bucknell University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Bucknell University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. It awarded 20 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. 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 more about Area Studies at Bucknell

11
Muhlenberg crest
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania

Muhlenberg College landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Muhlenberg is a small school located in Allentown, Pennsylvania that handed out 11 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Muhlenberg

12
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Goucher College
Baltimore, Maryland

Goucher College ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Goucher is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 9 bachelors’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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Goucher College

13
Gettysburg crest
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #13, Gettysburg College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Gettysburg is a small school located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 11 bachelors’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 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read more about Area Studies at Gettysburg

14
Lincoln crest
Lincoln University
Lincoln University, Pennsylvania

Lincoln University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. This small school is located in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Lincoln Area Studies Report

15
Swarthmore crest
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Swarthmore College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Swarthmore, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 5 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Swarthmore College Area Studies Report

16
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Fordham University is located in Bronx, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 59 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Fordham U

17
Union College crest
Union College New York
Schenectady, New York

Union College New York ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Schenectady, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 5 students 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Union College New York

18
McDaniel crest
McDaniel College
Westminster, Maryland

McDaniel College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. McDaniel is located in Westminster, Maryland and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 McDaniel

19
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 18 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Area Studies at Princeton University

20
SUNY Old Westbury crest
SUNY Old Westbury
Old Westbury, New York

SUNY Old Westbury ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. SUNY Old Westbury is a public institution located in Old Westbury, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SUNY Old Westbury Area Studies Report

21
Fisher crest
St. John Fisher College
Rochester, New York

With a ranking of #21, St. John Fisher College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Rochester, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s area studies degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Area Studies at Fisher

22
Ursinus crest
Ursinus College
Collegeville, Pennsylvania

Ursinus College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #22. Ursinus is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. It awarded 3 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Area Studies at Ursinus College

23
Lafayette crest
Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in Easton, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at Lafayette College

24
Millersville crest
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Millersville, Pennsylvania

Millersville University of Pennsylvania ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Millersville is located in Millersville, Pennsylvania and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Millersville Area Studies Report

25
Bryn Mawr crest
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #25, Bryn Mawr College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Bryn Mawr is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It awarded 3 bachelors’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Area Studies at Bryn Mawr

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