[Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 832 schools to find the best return on investment for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students.
Finding the Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies School for You
The area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program you select can have a big impact on your finances and your future. To help, we created our Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools ranking. We score each school on the balance of tuition, student debt, and post-graduation earnings to surface the best value.
We offer a number of rankings, including this Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools list, to help you decide. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Cuny Hunter College earned the #1 spot for value among area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools in the United States. Set in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,382, while out-of-state students pay about $15,332. Students borrow a median of $10,698 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Cuny Hunter College generally make around $34,007. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 54%.
A rank of #2 makes Cuny Brooklyn College one of the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Cuny Brooklyn College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,452 in tuition and fees, compared with $15,402 for out-of-state students. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $14,094 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $32,083. That is a strong return on a $14,094 median debt. The acceptance rate is 58%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Florida one of the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Located in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,381, compared with $28,659 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $22,875. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of Florida earn a median of $26,198 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,875 median debt. The acceptance rate is 24%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Oxnard College earned it the #4 place for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Oxnard College is a large public school located in the city of Oxnard. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,426, compared with $9,615 for out-of-state students. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $41,393.
A rank of #5 makes California State University Fresno one of the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. California State University Fresno is a very large public school located in the city of Fresno. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,341, with out-of-state students paying around $19,941. Students borrow a median of $15,598 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from California State University Fresno generally make around $49,502. Set against $15,598 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Fresno admits about 95% of applicants.
Mt San Antonio College placed #6 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the suburb of Walnut, Mt San Antonio College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,364 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,464. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $9,384. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Mt San Antonio College generally make around $44,391. Set against $9,384 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
West Valley College placed #7 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. West Valley College is a large public school located in the suburb of Saratoga. In-state tuition and fees average $0, with out-of-state students paying around $9,320. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $14,308 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $25,378. Set against $14,308 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
California State University Dominguez Hills landed the #8 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Located in the city of Carson, California State University Dominguez Hills is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,454 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,054. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $15,886 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from California State University Dominguez Hills generally make around $52,683. Set against $15,886 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
California State University Fullerton landed the #9 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. California State University Fullerton is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fullerton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,470, with out-of-state students paying around $20,070. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $17,643. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of California State University Fullerton earn a median of $28,965 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,643 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
California State University Los Angeles landed the #10 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. California State University Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,164, while out-of-state students pay about $19,764. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $22,500 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $27,058. That is a strong return on a $22,500 median debt. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Fresno City College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the city of Fresno, Fresno City College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,378, while out-of-state students pay about $8,638. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $7,234. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $37,470. Set against $7,234 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Princeton University came in at #12 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of Princeton, Princeton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $62,688. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $10,888 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $67,532. Set against $10,888 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Chabot College came in at #13 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the suburb of Hayward, Chabot College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $1,150, compared with $8,686 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,122 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $85,175. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Cuny City College earned the #14 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Cuny City College is a large public school located in the city of New York. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,340, while out-of-state students pay about $15,290. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $20,532. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $26,973. Set against $20,532 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Citrus College ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Citrus College is a large public school located in the suburb of Glendora. Students from in state pay about $1,204 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,636. Graduates go on to earn a median of $42,065 ten years after entry.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University landed the #16 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Located in the town of Durant, Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,200, with out-of-state students paying around $16,410. Students borrow a median of $18,660 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Southeastern Oklahoma State University generally make around $62,250. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
California State University Long Beach earned the #17 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,374, with out-of-state students paying around $19,974. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $15,363. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $28,470. Set against $15,363 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Long Beach admits about 46% of applicants.
California State University Northridge came in at #18 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,458 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,058 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $15,000. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of California State University Northridge earn a median of $26,771 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. California State University Northridge admits about 93% of applicants.
Henry Ford Community College came in at #19 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of Dearborn, Henry Ford Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,568, while out-of-state students pay about $7,816. Students borrow a median of $18,876 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $36,247. That is a strong return on a $18,876 median debt.
Stanford University ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,910. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $10,492 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Stanford University generally make around $41,156. Set against $10,492 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
California State University San Marcos came in at #21 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. California State University San Marcos is a large public school located in the suburb of San Marcos. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,082, while out-of-state students pay about $20,682. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $17,527. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of California State University San Marcos earn a median of $48,726 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
Sierra College earned the #22 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Sierra College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Rocklin. In-state tuition and fees average $1,446. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $12,733. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Sierra College earn a median of $29,214 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
California State University East Bay landed the #23 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Located in the suburb of Hayward, California State University East Bay is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,583, while out-of-state students pay about $20,183. Students borrow a median of $18,638 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $47,511. Set against $18,638 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College is a very large public school located in the city of New York. Students from in state pay about $5,170 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,050. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $8,794. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College earn a median of $30,111 early in their careers. Set against $8,794 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
City College Of San Francisco earned the #25 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of San Francisco, City College Of San Francisco is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $1,696 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $14,656. Students borrow a median of $10,332 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from City College Of San Francisco generally make around $100,031. Set against $10,332 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Rest of the Top 50 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools
Not far behind, these schools also offered excellent value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies:
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 832 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 102 ranked schools only.
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).
[Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
