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2023 Most Popular Colleges for African American Studies

214 Ranked Colleges
1,196 Degrees Awarded
$32,600 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended African American Studies Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended African American Studies Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2020-2021, 1,196 people earned their degree in African American studies, making the major the 389th most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Most Well Attended African American Studies Major” ranking analyzed 214 colleges that offered a degree in African American studies. To top this list, a school must have a successful African American studies program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended African American Studies Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Well Attended African American Studies Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended African American Studies Major”.

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended African American Studies Major. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 85 ’s African American studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about African American Studies at University of California - Los Angeles

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended African American Studies Major. UNC Charlotte is a public institution located in Charlotte, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 34 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 African American Studies at University of North Carolina at Charlotte

3
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Virginia - Main Campus. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended African American Studies Major. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 ’s African American studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on African American Studies at University of Virginia

4
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Out of the 214 schools in the Most Well Attended African American Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Florida landed the #4 spot on the list. Gainesville, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s African American studies degrees to 26 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about African American Studies at UF

5
Howard crest
Howard University
Washington, District of Columbia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Howard University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. Howard is located in Washington, District of Columbia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s African American studies degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Full Howard African American Studies Report

5
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Yale University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 ’s 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Yale University African American Studies Report

7

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 21 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full UC Davis African American Studies Report

8

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. Located in College Park, Maryland, this large public school awarded 32 degrees to qualified ’s African American studies students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Full UMCP African American Studies Report

8

University of North Carolina at Greensboro landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school awarded 21 degrees to qualified ’s African American studies students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on African American Studies at UNC Greensboro

8

The University of Texas at Austin came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking. UT Austin is located in Austin, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 20 ’s African American studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about African American Studies at The University of Texas at Austin

11
Lehman crest
Lehman College
Bronx, New York

With a ranking of #11, Lehman College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. Lehman College is a public institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 19 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Lehman African American Studies Report

11

Washington University in St Louis did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking, coming in at #11. Washington University in St Louis is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s African American studies degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on African American Studies at Washington University in St Louis

13

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s African American studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about African American Studies at Pitt

13
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #13, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s African American studies degrees to 17 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about African American Studies at SFSU

13

With a ranking of #13, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. UCSB is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 17 ’s African American studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about African American Studies at University of California - Santa Barbara

16
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking. Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 ’s African American studies degrees to qualified students.

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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Harvard University African American Studies Report

16

Virginia Commonwealth University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. Virginia Commonwealth University is a large public school situated in Richmond, Virginia. It awarded 16 ’s African American studies degrees 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 African American Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University

18

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 15 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about African American Studies at Ohio State

18

University of Massachusetts Amherst did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, and it awarded 15 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about African American Studies at University of Massachusetts Amherst

18
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. Princeton University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Princeton, New Jersey. It awarded 15 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%.

Read more about African American Studies at Princeton University

18

University of California - Berkeley ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 15 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 African American Studies at UC Berkeley

22
Georgia State crest
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school handed out 12 degrees to qualified ’s African American studies students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on African American Studies at Georgia State University

22
UofL crest
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky

University of Louisville landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking. UofL is a large school located in Louisville, Kentucky that handed out 12 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on African American Studies at University of Louisville

22
Emory crest
Emory University
Atlanta, Georgia

Emory University ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended African American Studies Major list. Emory is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 12 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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.

Read full report on African American Studies at Emory

22
UAlbany crest
University at Albany
Albany, New York

University at Albany did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking, coming in at #22. University at Albany is a fairly large public school situated in Albany, New York. It awarded 12 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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 African American Studies at UAlbany

22

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended African American Studies Major ranking. UNC Chapel Hill is a large school located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that handed out 12 ’s African American studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about African American Studies at UNC Chapel Hill

Rest of the Best 36 in Most Well Attended African American Studies Major

Not only did these schools make the top 36 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
27
Brandeis crest
Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts
27
27
Binghamton University crest
Binghamton University
Vestal, New York
27
27
33
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
33
Wesleyan U crest
Wesleyan University
Middletown, Connecticut
33
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California
33
Wellesley crest
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts
33

Notes and References

References

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