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2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major

464 Ranked Colleges
6,966 Degrees Awarded
$34,700 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Area Studies Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major” ranking.

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 “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major” ranking analyzed 464 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in area studies.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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.

Most Well Attended Area Studies Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major”.

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 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major. Fort-Worth, Texas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 647 students in 2020-2021.

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

Read full report on Area Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 221 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, 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%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Area Studies Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 192 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national 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 University of Washington - Seattle Campus

4
Georgetown crest
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Out of the 464 schools in the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Georgetown University landed the #4 spot on the list. Georgetown is a large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 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 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Georgetown

5
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

Out of the 464 schools in the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, New York University landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 118 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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 90%. 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%.

Full NYU Area Studies Report

6

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 121 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 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%.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Area Studies Report

7
Coastline Community College crest
Coastline Community College
Fountain Valley, California

With a ranking of #7, Coastline Community College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. 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 full report on Area Studies at Coastline Community College

7

With a ranking of #7, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. Austin, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 107 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 97%.

Read more about Area Studies at The University of Texas at Austin

9

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 105 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area Studies at University of California - Berkeley

10

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 103 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Area Studies Report

11
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island

Brown University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking. 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.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Brown Area Studies Report

12
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. Harvard University is a large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 94 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Area Studies at Harvard

13
Wesleyan U crest
Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut

Wesleyan University ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Middletown, Connecticut. The school has a small population, and it awarded 79 ’s degrees 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. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 full report on Area Studies at Wesleyan University

14
University of Arizona crest
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

University of Arizona came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking. This large school is located in Tucson, Arizona, and it awarded 73 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Arizona

15

University of Missouri - Columbia did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #15. This large school is located in Columbia, Missouri, and it awarded 70 ’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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Missouri - Columbia

15
Brandeis crest
Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Waltham, Massachusetts, and it awarded 70 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 full report on Area Studies at Brandeis

17

Brigham Young University - Provo came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking. Located in Provo, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 69 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Area Studies at BYU

18

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #18. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 68 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

19
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #19. Williamsburg, Virginia is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 63 students 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%. 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 more about Area Studies at William & Mary

20

With a ranking of #20, Virginia Commonwealth University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. This large school is located in Richmond, Virginia, and it awarded 60 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Full Virginia Commonwealth University Area Studies Report

21
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking. Fordham University is located in Bronx, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 59 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Area Studies at Fordham University

21

With a ranking of #21, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. California State University - Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 59 ’s area studies degrees 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 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 Cal State Fullerton

23
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

With a ranking of #23, Yale University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major list. Yale University is a fairly large school located in New Haven, Connecticut that handed out 58 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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. 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Yale University

24

Miami University - Oxford came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking. Miami University - Oxford is located in Oxford, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 56 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Area Studies at Miami University - Oxford

25
Bowdoin crest
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Maine

Bowdoin College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #25. Bowdoin College is located in Brunswick, Maine and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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. 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%.

Read full report on Area Studies at Bowdoin

25
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major ranking, coming in at #25. Emory University is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 51 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Emory University Area Studies Report

Rest of the Best 49 in Most Well Attended Area Studies Major

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
27
Dartmouth crest
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire
27
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
30
31
32
33
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
34
35
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California
35
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
37
Oberlin crest
Oberlin College
Oberlin, Ohio
37
GWU crest
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia
39
40
41
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
42
Barnard crest
Barnard College
New York, New York
43
43
43
46
46
Smith crest
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts
46
49
Trinity Bantams crest
Trinity College
Hartford, Connecticut
49

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended Area Studies Major

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

RankCollegeLocation
51University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IL
52University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
52Ohio University - Athens CampusAthens, OH
54University of KansasLawrence, KS
54Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ
56Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN
56St Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN
56Tufts UniversityMedford, MA
59Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury, VT
59Connecticut CollegeNew London, CT
59University of IowaIowa City, IA
59Furman UniversityGreenville, SC
63University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT
63University of Notre DameNotre Dame, IN
63Tulane University of LouisianaNew Orleans, LA
RankCollegeLocation
63University at AlbanyAlbany, NY
63Dickinson CollegeCarlisle, PA
63University of Maryland - College ParkCollege Park, MD
69Boston UniversityBoston, MA
69American UniversityWashington, DC
69University of OregonEugene, OR

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