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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region

110 Ranked Colleges
1,538 Degrees Awarded
$33,400 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region” 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.

Across the Middle Atlantic region, there were 1,538 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,912 and $23,607 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking looked at 110 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

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Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region

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

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Area Studies in the Middle Atlantic Region

1
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 #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region. This small school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 36 ’s area studies 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. 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 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Barnard

2
Houghton crest
Houghton College
Houghton, New York

Out of the 110 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Houghton College landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Houghton, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Houghton Area Studies Report

3
Dickinson crest
Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Out of the 110 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Dickinson College landed the #3 spot on the 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.

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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Dickinson College Area Studies Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hobart and William Smith Colleges. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. This small school is located in Geneva, New York, and it awarded 20 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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.

Full The Colleges Area Studies Report

5
Franklin and Marshall crest
Franklin and Marshall College
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Franklin and Marshall College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Read full report on Area Studies at Franklin and Marshall College

6
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, New York

With a ranking of #6, Vassar College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in Poughkeepsie, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 17 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

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%. 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Vassar College Area Studies Report

7
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

Colgate University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. This small school is located in Hamilton, New York, and it awarded 22 ’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%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Colgate University Area Studies Report

8
Hamilton crest
Hamilton College
Clinton, New York

Hamilton College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Hamilton is a private not-for-profit institution located in Clinton, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at Hamilton College

9
Skidmore crest
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, New York

Skidmore College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #9. Skidmore is a small school located in Saratoga Springs, New York that handed out 13 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 88%, 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Skidmore

10
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

With a ranking of #10, Georgetown University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Georgetown is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 132 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full Georgetown University Area Studies Report

11
Bucknell crest
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Bucknell University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Bucknell University is located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s area studies degrees to qualified 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%. 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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at Bucknell University

12
Muhlenberg crest
Muhlenberg College
Allentown, Pennsylvania

Muhlenberg College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

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

13
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Goucher College
Baltimore, Maryland

Goucher College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Goucher

14
Gettysburg crest
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg College landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Gettysburg College is located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s area studies degrees to qualified 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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%.

Read more about Area Studies at Gettysburg College

15
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #15. Princeton University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 30 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Area Studies at Princeton

16
Lincoln crest
Lincoln University
Lincoln University, Pennsylvania

Lincoln University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #16. Lincoln University is a small school located in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania that handed out 6 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Lincoln Area Studies Report

17
Swarthmore crest
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Swarthmore College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Swarthmore is a private not-for-profit institution located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees 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 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Swarthmore Area Studies Report

18
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #18. Fordham U is a fairly large school located in Bronx, New York that handed out 59 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Fordham University

19
Union College crest
Union College New York
Schenectady, New York

Union College New York landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Union College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Schenectady, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 5 ’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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Union College

20
McDaniel crest
McDaniel College
Westminster, Maryland

McDaniel College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. McDaniel is a small school located in Westminster, Maryland that handed out 8 ’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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at McDaniel College

21

Columbia University in the City of New York did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking, coming in at #21. Columbia is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 121 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York

22
SUNY Old Westbury crest
SUNY Old Westbury
Old Westbury, New York

With a ranking of #22, SUNY Old Westbury did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region list. Located in Old Westbury, New York, this small public school awarded 10 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at SUNY Old Westbury

23
Fisher crest
St. John Fisher College
Rochester, New York

St. John Fisher College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Fisher is located in Rochester, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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%.

Read more about Area Studies at St. John Fisher College

24
Ursinus crest
Ursinus College
Collegeville, Pennsylvania

Ursinus College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Area Studies Major in the Middle Atlantic Region ranking. Ursinus College is a small school located in Collegeville, Pennsylvania that handed out 3 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, 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 85%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Ursinus College

25
Lafayette crest
Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools 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 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies 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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Area Studies at Lafayette College

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