2027 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools in the New England Region
[Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 22 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools.
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2027 Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools in the New England Region
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
Leading the list is Bowdoin College, our #1 best value for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies in the New England Region. Set in the town of Brunswick, Bowdoin College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,832. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $24,000. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $45,315. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Bowdoin College admits about 7% of applicants.
Williams College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Williams College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Williamstown. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,560. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $12,615. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $38,595. That is a strong return on a $12,615 median debt. Williams College admits about 8% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Harvard University one of the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,676. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $16,616. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Harvard University earn a median of $95,207 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $16,616 median debt. Harvard University admits about 4% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Maine earned it the #4 place for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Located in the suburb of Orono, University Of Maine is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,326, with out-of-state students paying around $36,756. Students borrow a median of $25,984 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $47,975. Set against $25,984 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Maine admits about 97% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Massachusetts Amherst one of the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $17,772 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $40,449. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $25,195. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of Massachusetts Amherst earn a median of $53,666 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,195 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
University Of Massachusetts Boston earned the #6 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of Massachusetts Boston is a large public school located in the city of Boston. In-state tuition and fees average $15,898, with out-of-state students paying around $38,115. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $26,965. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Boston generally make around $41,872. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
Amherst College came in at #7 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Amherst, Amherst College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $70,480. Students borrow a median of $18,032 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $48,364. Set against $18,032 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Yale University placed #8 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the city of New Haven, Yale University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,250 in tuition and fees. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $13,107 in student loans. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $54,512. That is a strong return on a $13,107 median debt. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Boston University earned the #9 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Boston University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Boston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,102. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $25,232. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Boston University generally make around $63,598. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Boston University admits about 11% of applicants.
University Of Rhode Island earned the #10 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the suburb of Kingston, University Of Rhode Island is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,942, with out-of-state students paying around $37,146. Students borrow a median of $21,875 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Rhode Island generally make around $28,181. That is a strong return on a $21,875 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Brown University placed #11 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Brown University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. In-state tuition and fees average $71,312. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Brown University earn a median of $38,611 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,000 median debt. Brown University admits about 5% of applicants.
Wellesley College came in at #12 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the suburb of Wellesley, Wellesley College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,176 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $9,525. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $43,302. That is a strong return on a $9,525 median debt. The acceptance rate is 14%.
Simmons College ranked #13 on our 2027 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the city of Boston, Simmons College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $46,874 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $26,740. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $63,860. That is a strong return on a $26,740 median debt. Simmons College admits about 70% of applicants.
Mount Holyoke College earned the #14 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the suburb of South Hadley, Mount Holyoke College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,018 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $22,041. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $35,038. Set against $22,041 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.
Smith College came in at #15 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Northampton, Smith College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $65,178. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Smith College generally make around $28,751. Set against $19,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Smith College admits about 21% of applicants.
Dartmouth College landed the #16 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies value this year. Located in the town of Hanover, Dartmouth College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,019. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $16,390. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $47,612. Set against $16,390 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Dartmouth College admits about 5% of applicants.
Wesleyan University ranked #17 on our 2027 list of the best value area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Middletown. In-state tuition and fees average $70,042. Students borrow a median of $16,125 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Wesleyan University earn a median of $39,764 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 16%.
Middlebury College placed #18 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Middlebury College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Middlebury. Students from in state pay about $67,600 in tuition and fees. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $11,593 in student loans. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Middlebury College earn a median of $40,467 early in their careers. Set against $11,593 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 11%.
Trinity College placed #19 among the best values for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the city of Hartford, Trinity College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,770. Students borrow a median of $23,667 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Early-career area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates make about $52,927. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 29% of applicants are accepted.
Brandeis University came in at #20 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Waltham, Brandeis University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,080. Typical student debt for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates is $25,831. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Brandeis University generally make around $43,418. That is a strong return on a $25,831 median debt. The acceptance rate is 40%.
Connecticut College earned the #21 position for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of New London, Connecticut College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,242. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates carry a median of $21,220 in student loans. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Connecticut College generally make around $43,358. Set against $21,220 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 37% of applicants are accepted.
Tufts University came in at #22 for value in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Tufts University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Medford. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $70,704. Students borrow a median of $17,074 to complete the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program here. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Tufts University generally make around $44,133. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Tufts University admits about 12% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 22 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 22 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.
