2027 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools in New York
[Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 16 schools to find the best return on investment for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students.
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2027 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools in New York
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools
For return on investment in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, no school beat Cuny Hunter College this year. Located in the city of New York, Cuny Hunter College is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,382, while out-of-state students pay about $15,332. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $10,698 in student loans. 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. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies will find it at Cuny Brooklyn College, which ranked #2. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $15,402. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $14,094. 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%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Cuny City College earned it the #3 place for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Located in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,340 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,290. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $20,532 in student loans. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Cuny City College earn a median of $26,973 early in their careers. Set against $20,532 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of New York, Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,170, while out-of-state students pay about $8,050. Students borrow a median of $8,794 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Cuny Borough Of Manhattan Community College earn a median of $30,111 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $8,794 median debt.
Nassau Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Garden City, Nassau Community College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,330, with out-of-state students paying around $12,130. Students borrow a median of $11,850 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Nassau Community College earn a median of $38,734 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,850 median debt.
Suny College At Old Westbury came in at #6 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Suny College At Old Westbury is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Old Westbury. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,372, while out-of-state students pay about $18,842. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $20,274 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $44,443. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Suny College At Old Westbury admits about 84% of applicants.
Suny At Albany landed the #7 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Located in the city of Albany, Suny At Albany is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,601, with out-of-state students paying around $30,991. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $22,657 in student loans. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Suny At Albany earn a median of $32,041 early in their careers. Set against $22,657 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
Stony Brook University placed #8 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Stony Brook University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Stony Brook. Students from in state pay about $10,931 in tuition and fees, compared with $32,741 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,537 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Stony Brook University earn a median of $60,047 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,537 median debt. Stony Brook University admits about 49% of applicants.
Columbia University In The City Of New York ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,517. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $22,135. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Columbia University In The City Of New York generally make around $42,232. Set against $22,135 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
State University Of New York At New Paltz came in at #10 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. State University Of New York At New Paltz is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of New Paltz. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,572, while out-of-state students pay about $18,822. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $25,500 in student loans. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of State University Of New York At New Paltz earn a median of $23,751 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. State University Of New York At New Paltz admits about 62% of applicants.
Suny At Binghamton earned the #11 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Suny At Binghamton is a very large public school located in the suburb of Vestal. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,567, with out-of-state students paying around $30,447. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $25,576. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $51,766. Set against $25,576 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Suny At Binghamton admits about 39% of applicants.
Cornell University ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $69,314. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $17,625. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Cornell University generally make around $43,831. Set against $17,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Barnard College earned the #13 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Barnard College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. In-state tuition and fees average $69,888. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $19,000. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Barnard College earn a median of $34,142 early in their careers. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 9%.
New York University placed #14 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $62,796. Students borrow a median of $19,250 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $51,233. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Syracuse University landed the #15 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,528. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $22,903 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $18,854. That is a strong return on a $22,903 median debt. The acceptance rate is 46%.
Fordham University placed #16 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the city of Bronx, Fordham University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,470. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $26,884 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $40,811. Set against $26,884 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 59%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 16 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.
