2027 Best Area Studies Schools in Illinois

Area Studies programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best area studies schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Area Studies Schools in Illinois

Best Schools for Area Studies in Illinois

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall area studies education in Illinois.

Top Schools in Area Studies

1

University Of Chicago
Chicago, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

28 Area Studies Degrees Awarded

$38,008 Median Starting Salary

Leading the list is University Of Chicago, our #1 school for area studies. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Chicago. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. University Of Chicago awarded about 28 area studies degrees in the most recent data year. Area Studies graduates of University Of Chicago earn a median of $38,008 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $15,854. See the full area studies program report for University Of Chicago

2

University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
Champaign, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

19 Area Studies Degrees Awarded

$24,332 Median Starting Salary

University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in area studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. About 85% of students finish within six years. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign awarded about 19 area studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area studies program make about $24,332 in their early career. University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign graduates carry a median of $22,050 in student loans. See the full area studies program report for University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.