Area Studies

Salary data, best schools, and honest ROI assessment

Avg Earnings (4yr)

$39,370

Median Earnings

$57,407

Schools Offering

ROI Grade

C+

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

25th: $49,872Median: $57,40775th: $66,117

Best Schools for Area Studies by Earnings

#	School	ROI	4yr Earnings	Net Price	Major Debt	Grade
1	Cornell University NY · Private	96	$96,976	$28,690	$17,625	B
2	Columbia University in the City of New York NY · Private	96	$96,884	$21,590	$22,486	C+
3	Miami University-Oxford OH · Public	54	$79,449	$28,384	$20,552	B
4	Bowdoin College ME · Private	92	$75,966	$14,398	$24,000	C+
5	University of Notre Dame IN · Private	97	$75,832	$26,780	$19,250	C+
6	Fordham University NY · Private	79	$75,563	$44,338	$26,884	C
7	University of Missouri-Columbia MO · Public	77	$75,230	$20,268	$24,250	C
8	Emory University GA · Private	92	$75,205	$22,585	$19,500	C
9	Trinity College CT · Private	87	$73,229	$34,832	N/A	-
10	University of California-Berkeley CA · Public	97	$70,366	$13,481	$14,972	B+
11	Tufts University MA · Private	86	$69,037	$39,998	N/A	-
12	William & Mary VA · Public	91	$68,909	$19,096	$15,250	B+
13	Ramapo College of New Jersey NJ · Public	81	$68,806	$18,173	N/A	-
14	Amherst College MA · Private	90	$68,618	$23,367	N/A	-
15	Brigham Young University UT · Private	94	$67,310	$15,564	$10,236	B+
16	Yale University CT · Private	97	$67,230	$23,777	N/A	-
17	Florida State University FL · Public	83	$67,110	$11,297	N/A	-
18	Barnard College NY · Private	90	$66,117	$28,800	$19,000	C
19	University of Virginia-Main Campus VA · Public	95	$65,970	$21,565	$23,000	C
20	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC · Public	94	$65,933	$11,655	$13,000	B
21	Nevada State University NV · Public	58	$65,406	$14,068	$34,213	C
22	Dartmouth College NH · Private	95	$65,226	$29,519	$16,520	B+
23	Colby College ME · Private	94	$64,207	$17,180	N/A	-
24	Dickinson College PA · Private	73	$63,874	$37,607	$19,802	C
25	New York University NY · Private	84	$62,651	$37,050	$19,250	B+
26	Iowa State University IA · Public	79	$61,860	$18,589	N/A	-
27	University of Michigan-Dearborn MI · Public	72	$60,891	$9,492	N/A	-
28	Connecticut College CT · Private	76	$60,749	$36,175	$21,220	C+
29	Hobart William Smith Colleges NY · Private	70	$60,381	$31,563	$24,250	C
30	Brown University RI · Private	96	$59,808	$25,184	$12,000	B+
31	University of Maryland-College Park MD · Public	94	$59,469	$15,678	$22,250	D
32	University of California-Santa Barbara CA · Public	90	$59,042	$16,109	$22,697	B
33	Rutgers University-New Brunswick NJ · Public	83	$58,245	$24,406	$25,973	F
34	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor MI · Public	95	$58,232	$13,138	$16,984	C
35	University of Puget Sound WA · Private	62	$57,407	$38,394	$27,000	D
36	The University of Texas at Austin TX · Public	90	$57,009	$19,857	$22,215	D
37	University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA · Public	94	$56,926	$14,091	$14,922	B+
38	University of Washington-Bothell Campus WA · Public	91	$56,926	$12,319	$14,922	B+
39	University of Washington-Tacoma Campus WA · Public	91	$56,926	$10,163	$14,922	B+
40	Middlebury College VT · Private	86	$56,508	$31,483	$11,593	B+
41	University of Wisconsin-Madison WI · Public	91	$55,733	$17,354	$20,850	B
42	Oberlin College OH · Private	45	$55,151	$38,645	$24,951	F
43	Brandeis University MA · Private	77	$54,306	$35,736	$26,000	C
44	University of Oregon OR · Public	68	$54,279	$22,182	$20,251	C
45	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign IL · Public	93	$54,187	$14,355	$22,050	D
46	California State University-Northridge CA · Public	80	$53,077	$7,021	N/A	-
47	University of California-Los Angeles CA · Public	96	$51,755	$12,548	$17,746	D
48	Smith College MA · Private	73	$51,131	$27,579	$19,000	C
49	California State University-Fullerton CA · Public	88	$50,739	$6,555	$17,500	C
50	University at Albany NY · Public	79	$50,572	$17,167	$22,305	C

Below Average Value

Is Area Studies Worth It?

Proceed With a Plan

The financial returns for Area Studies are below average. At $39,370 in average earnings four years out, graduates often face a long payback period, especially at higher-cost institutions. This doesn't mean the field is worthless - it means the financial math demands careful attention to school cost and debt levels.

This is a more specialized field, offered at 80 schools in our dataset. Fewer options means less room to optimize on cost, so pay close attention to the financial aid packages you receive.

The top school for this major by earnings is Trinity College, where graduates earn $73,229 four years out. But averages hide a wide range - where you attend and what you do with the degree matter as much as the major itself.

Best ROI Schools for Area Studies All Majors ROI Calculator Compare Schools

Area Studies

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

Best Schools for Area Studies by Earnings

Is Area Studies Worth It?

Proceed With a Plan

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