by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking to study area studies. at the Bachelor’s Degree level, you’ve come to the right place. This ranking highlights 67 colleges that serve veteran area studies. students especially well, using our 2026 methodology.
Our ranking weighs the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits (including GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. So you can compare your options, College Factual evaluated colleges nationwide, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Want to compare schools head to head? Check out our College Combat to build custom comparisons on the factors you care about most.
Narrow this ranking to a degree level below:
Learn more about these veteran-friendly area studies. colleges below:
Leading the list is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, our #1 area studies. college for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 90.4 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the area studies. program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a great choice for veterans pursuing area studies., landing the #2 spot this year. It scores 89.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. More about the area studies. program at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Veteran students seeking a strong area studies. program will find one at William & Mary, which ranked #3. William & Mary scores 89.2 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full area studies. report for William & Mary
A rank of #4 makes California State University-Long Beach one of the top area studies. colleges for veteran students. California State University-Long Beach scores 86.7 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. Read more about area studies. at California State University-Long Beach
A rank of #5 makes Binghamton University one of the top area studies. colleges for veteran students. Binghamton University scores 85.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the area studies. program at Binghamton University
University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best area studies. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 85.4 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full area studies. report for University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of New Mexico-Main Campus placed #7 among the best area studies. colleges for veterans. University of New Mexico-Main Campus scores 85.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. See the full area studies. report for University of New Mexico-Main Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus came in at #8 for veteran area studies. students this year. It scores 84.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. More about the area studies. program at University of Maryland Global Campus
University of California-Santa Barbara came in at #9 for veteran area studies. students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 84.5 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies. at University of California-Santa Barbara
University of Connecticut landed the #10 spot for veterans pursuing area studies.. The school's overall veterans score is 84.3 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies. at University of Connecticut
University of Kansas came in at #11 for veteran area studies. students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 84.0 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies. at University of Kansas
Miami University-Oxford ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best area studies. colleges for veterans. Miami University-Oxford scores 83.6 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about area studies. at Miami University-Oxford
Florida State University placed #13 among the best area studies. colleges for veterans. It scores 82.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. See the full area studies. report for Florida State University
University of South Carolina-Columbia landed the #14 spot for veterans pursuing area studies.. University of South Carolina-Columbia scores 81.6 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about area studies. at University of South Carolina-Columbia
Virginia Commonwealth University ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best area studies. colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 81.3 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full area studies. report for Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Iowa placed #16 among the best area studies. colleges for veterans. It scores 81.1 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies. at University of Iowa
Towson University placed #17 among the best area studies. colleges for veterans. It scores 80.9 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about area studies. at Towson University
California State University-Fullerton came in at #18 for veteran area studies. students this year. California State University-Fullerton scores 80.3 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the area studies. program at California State University-Fullerton
University of Illinois Chicago ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best area studies. colleges for veterans. University of Illinois Chicago scores 80.2 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies. at University of Illinois Chicago
University of Missouri-Columbia ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best area studies. colleges for veterans. It scores 79.9 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies. at University of Missouri-Columbia
University of California-Los Angeles came in at #21 for veteran area studies. students this year. The school's overall veterans score is 79.4 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies. at University of California-Los Angeles
American University came in at #22 for veteran area studies. students this year. American University scores 79.3 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 48.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies. at American University
George Washington University placed #23 among the best area studies. colleges for veterans. George Washington University scores 79.2 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 41.7, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. See the full area studies. report for George Washington University
University of Massachusetts-Boston came in at #24 for veteran area studies. students this year. University of Massachusetts-Boston scores 79.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about area studies. at University of Massachusetts-Boston
University of California-Irvine came in at #25 for veteran area studies. students this year. It scores 78.7 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the area studies. program at University of California-Irvine
Not far behind, these area studies. colleges also rank among the best for veterans this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
Our ranking weighs the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students studying area studies.: affordability and veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
These rankings are produced by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.
