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2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region

67 Ranked Colleges
983 Degrees Awarded
$33,400 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region

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 in the Southeast Region” ranking.

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 Southeast region, there were 983 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,290 and $20,478 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region” ranking, we looked at 67 colleges that offer a degree in area studies. To top this list, a school must have a successful area studies program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region” list to help you make the college 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.

Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region

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

1

Out of the 67 schools in the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #1 spot on the list. UNC 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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Area Studies Report

2
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

Out of the 67 schools in the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, William & Mary landed the #2 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, and it awarded 63 ’s area studies degrees 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full William & Mary Area Studies Report

3

Out of the 67 schools in the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Richmond, Virginia, this large public school handed out 60 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at VCU

4
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Out of the 67 schools in the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Emory University landed the #4 spot on the list. Emory University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 51 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of South Carolina - Columbia. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. Columbia, South Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 47 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at UofSC

6

With a ranking of #6, Florida International University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. Miami, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 47 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 Florida International University Area Studies Report

7
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Duke University ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. Duke is a fairly large school located in Durham, North Carolina that handed out 55 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. 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%.

Read more about Area Studies at Duke University

8
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Vanderbilt is a fairly large school located in Nashville, Tennessee that handed out 28 ’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 0.9%, 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.

Full Vanderbilt University Area Studies Report

9
Furman crest
Furman University
Greenville, South Carolina

Furman University ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. Furman is a private not-for-profit institution located in Greenville, South Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 ’s 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Furman University Area Studies Report

10
Tulane crest
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana

Tulane University of Louisiana did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #10. Tulane University of Louisiana is a fairly large school located in New Orleans, Louisiana that handed out 26 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, 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.

Full Tulane Area Studies Report

11
KSU Georgia crest
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, Georgia

Kennesaw State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #11. This large school is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, and it awarded 23 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full KSU Georgia Area Studies Report

11
UK crest
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

University of Kentucky ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. Lexington, Kentucky is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Kentucky Area Studies Report

13
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking. UA is a public institution located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full The University of Alabama Area Studies Report

14

University of North Carolina at Charlotte landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 University of North Carolina at Charlotte

14
URichmond crest
University of Richmond
University of Richmond, Virginia

With a ranking of #14, University of Richmond did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. URichmond is located in University of Richmond, Virginia and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Richmond

16
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. Florida State is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Florida State University

16
Davidson crest
Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina

Davidson College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #16. Davidson, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 15 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Davidson

18
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 14 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at Wake Forest University

19
Ole Miss crest
University of Mississippi
University, Mississippi

University of Mississippi ranked #19 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. University, Mississippi is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

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

Full University of Mississippi Area Studies Report

20

Arkansas State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Jonesboro, Arkansas, this fairly large public school handed out 11 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Area Studies at Arkansas State University - Main Campus

20
Rhodes College crest
Rhodes College
Memphis, Tennessee

Rhodes College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, 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 87%. 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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 Rhodes College Area Studies Report

20
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this large public school awarded 11 degrees to qualified ’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%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Area Studies at University of Virginia - Main Campus

23
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

With a ranking of #23, George Mason University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region list. GMU is a large school located in Fairfax, Virginia that handed out 10 ’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 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full George Mason University Area Studies Report

23
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky

University of Louisville came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking. Louisville, Kentucky is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Louisville

23
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in the Southeast Region ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school awarded 15 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 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Florida Area Studies Report

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