2026 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools in Oregon
[Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students.
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Featured Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Anthropology
Explore societal similarities and differences as seen through cultural, biological, archaeological and linguistic lenses when you earn one of your degrees in anthropology from Southern New Hampshire University.
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BA in History
Gain a rich foundation of knowledge ranging from early history to modern times with this online bachelor's degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University.
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MA in History
The online Master of Arts in History degree program can deepen your understanding of how history is made.
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2026 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools in Oregon
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
Portland State University earned the #1 spot for value among area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools in Oregon. Located in the city of Portland, Portland State University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,118 in tuition and fees, compared with $29,136 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $26,500. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $32,441. That is a strong return on a $26,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 91%.
Students looking for strong value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies will find it at Southern Oregon University, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Ashland, Southern Oregon University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,762, compared with $31,887 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $24,951. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Southern Oregon University generally make around $41,038. That is a strong return on a $24,951 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Oregon State University 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 Corvallis, Oregon State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,400 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $38,190. Students borrow a median of $24,043 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Oregon State University generally make around $51,000. Set against $24,043 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Oregon State University admits about 77% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Oregon one of the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. University Of Oregon is a very large public school located in the city of Eugene. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,320, while out-of-state students pay about $42,516. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $20,798 in student loans. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of Oregon earn a median of $31,427 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
More Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
