2027 Best Area Studies Schools in District of Columbia
Area Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for area studies students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Area Studies in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall area studies education in District of Columbia.
Top Schools in Area Studies
No school ranked higher than Georgetown University this year for area studies. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. About 95% of students finish within six years. Georgetown University awarded about 142 area studies degrees in the most recent data year. Area Studies graduates of Georgetown University earn a median of $64,851 early in their careers. Georgetown University graduates carry a median of $16,483 in student loans.
Read more about the area studies program at Georgetown University
A rank of #2 makes George Washington University one of the top schools for area studies. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. George Washington University graduates 84% of students within six years. There were roughly 27 area studies students who graduated with this degree at George Washington University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area studies program make about $73,749 in their early career. George Washington University graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans.
Read more about the area studies program at George Washington University
American University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in area studies, ranking #3. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Washington. The six-year graduation rate is 76%. There were roughly 12 area studies students who graduated with this degree at American University in the most recent data year. Area Studies graduates of American University earn a median of $43,671 early in their careers. American University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
Get the full area studies details for American University
More Area Studies Rankings
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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 · 3 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.
