2026 Best Area Studies Schools in the The Plains States Region
Area Studies programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their area studies programs.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 35 schools to find the best for area studies students.
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Best Schools for Area Studies in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall area studies education in the The Plains States Region.
Top Schools in Area Studies
No school ranked higher than Washington University In St Louis this year for area studies. Located in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit university. Washington University In St Louis graduates 94% of students within six years. There were roughly 21 area studies students who graduated with this degree at Washington University In St Louis in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area studies degree recipients from Washington University In St Louis generally make around $30,716. Typical student debt for the program is $17,553.
Read more about the area studies program at Washington University In St Louis
University Of Missouri Columbia came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best area studies schools. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public institution. About 75% of students finish within six years. University Of Missouri Columbia awarded about 55 area studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area studies degree from University Of Missouri Columbia earn around $44,096 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $24,250 to complete this degree.
See the full area studies program report for University Of Missouri Columbia
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 35 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.
