2026 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools
[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.
College Factual analyzed 832 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools in the United States
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked Cuny Hunter College the best value for a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies in the United States. Set in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,382, while out-of-state students pay about $15,332. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $10,698. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Cuny Hunter College earn a median of $34,007 early in their careers. Set against $10,698 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cuny Hunter College admits about 54% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Cuny Brooklyn College one of the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Cuny Brooklyn College is a large public school located in the city of Brooklyn. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,452, while out-of-state students pay about $15,402. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $14,094. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Cuny Brooklyn College generally make around $32,083. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 58%.
California State University Fresno is a great value for students pursuing a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Fresno, California State University Fresno is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,341, while out-of-state students pay about $19,941. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $15,598 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from California State University Fresno generally make around $49,502. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
University Of Florida is a great value for students pursuing a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Gainesville, University Of Florida is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,381, with out-of-state students paying around $28,659. Students borrow a median of $22,875 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Florida generally make around $26,198. That is a strong return on a $22,875 median debt. The acceptance rate is 24%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at California State University Dominguez Hills earned it the #5 place for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $20,054. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $15,886 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $52,683. Set against $15,886 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Dominguez Hills admits about 93% of applicants.
California State University Fullerton placed #6 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the suburb of Fullerton, California State University Fullerton is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,470, while out-of-state students pay about $20,070. Students borrow a median of $17,643 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from California State University Fullerton generally make around $28,829. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Princeton University placed #7 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Princeton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Princeton. Students from in state pay about $62,688 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $10,888. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Princeton University generally make around $67,532. Set against $10,888 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 5% of applicants are accepted.
Cuny City College landed the #8 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Located in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,340, while out-of-state students pay about $15,290. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $20,532 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Cuny City College generally make around $26,973. That is a strong return on a $20,532 median debt. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
California State University Los Angeles ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. 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, compared with $19,764 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $22,500. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $27,058. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 91%.
California State University Long Beach ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,374 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $19,974. Students borrow a median of $15,363 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of California State University Long Beach earn a median of $28,447 early in their careers. Set against $15,363 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Long Beach admits about 46% of applicants.
Stanford University earned the #11 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $65,910. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $10,492. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Stanford University earn a median of $41,156 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $10,492 median debt. Stanford University admits about 4% of applicants.
California State University Northridge placed #12 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Located in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,458, compared with $20,058 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from California State University Northridge generally make around $26,772. Set against $15,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Northridge admits about 93% of applicants.
California State University San Marcos placed #13 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the suburb of San Marcos, California State University San Marcos is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,082, while out-of-state students pay about $20,682. Students borrow a median of $17,527 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $48,726. Set against $17,527 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
California State University East Bay placed #14 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $20,183. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $18,638 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from California State University East Bay generally make around $47,511. That is a strong return on a $18,638 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California San Diego came in at #15 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of California San Diego is a very large public school located in the city of La Jolla. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,788, with out-of-state students paying around $47,676. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $12,485. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $30,984. That is a strong return on a $12,485 median debt. University Of California San Diego admits about 27% of applicants.
California State University Sacramento came in at #16 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,018 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,618. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $18,120 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from California State University Sacramento generally make around $30,628. That is a strong return on a $18,120 median debt. California State University Sacramento admits about 94% of applicants.
University Of Wyoming placed #17 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. University Of Wyoming is a large public school located in the town of Laramie. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,768, compared with $24,178 for out-of-state students. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $20,283 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Wyoming generally make around $49,890. Set against $20,283 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Wyoming admits about 97% of applicants.
California State Polytechnic University Pomona landed the #18 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public school located in the suburb of Pomona. In-state tuition and fees average $7,781, while out-of-state students pay about $20,381. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $13,486 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $40,253. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Haskell Indian Nations University placed #19 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Haskell Indian Nations University is a small public school located in the city of Lawrence. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $600. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $23,887. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Utah came in at #20 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,620 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $30,860. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $20,798. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Utah generally make around $60,527. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Hawaii At Hilo placed #21 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the town of Hilo, University Of Hawaii At Hilo is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,838, with out-of-state students paying around $20,798. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $22,615 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Hawaii At Hilo generally make around $48,141. That is a strong return on a $22,615 median debt. University Of Hawaii At Hilo admits about 61% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill landed the #22 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Set in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Students borrow a median of $12,988 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $31,872. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 15%.
Oglala Lakota College earned the #23 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the rural area of Kyle, Oglala Lakota College is a small public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,684. Median earnings reach $22,517 ten years out.
San Jose State University landed the #24 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Set in the city of San Jose, San Jose State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,410, compared with $21,010 for out-of-state students. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $78,988. The acceptance rate is 85%.
University Of California Irvine earned the #25 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,752, while out-of-state students pay about $46,640. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $18,998. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $29,707. Set against $18,998 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 29%.
Rest of the Top 50 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value ranking:
Other Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Degree Levels
Explore the best-value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools at other degree levels:
View All Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
