Best institutions to study Area Studies
Compare 338 U.S. colleges offering Area Studies by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 51 states.
Area Studies programs report a median of $34,280 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 05.01 and the Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary occupation (BLS SOC).
About Area Studies programs
Area Studies is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the research and scholarship of specific geographical, national, or cultural regions. This field encompasses various disciplines, including international relations, history, anthropology, and cultural studies, making it ideal for students interested in understanding diverse cultures and societies.
Students in Area Studies develop critical skills such as reading comprehension, writing, and critical thinking. Coursework often includes topics related to race and ethnic relations, gender studies, and cross-cultural perspectives, providing a well-rounded education in both the social sciences and humanities.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yale University New Haven, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $55,618 | 77 | 96% | $27,025 | — |
| 2 | Nevada State University Henderson, NV Public · Bachelor's degree | $54,607 | 13 | 34% | — | $34,213 |
| 3 | William & Mary Williamsburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $53,779 | 27 | 89% | — | $15,250 |
| 4 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,728 | 54 | 93% | — | $14,972 |
| 5 | Miami University - Oxford Oxford, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,637 | 20 | 80% | — | $20,552 |
| 6 | Amherst College Amherst, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $49,149 | 21 | 94% | $16,081 | — |
| 7 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,650 | 52 | 33% | — | — |
| 8 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,565 | 38 | 96% | $14,689 | $16,520 |
| 9 | Colby College Waterville, ME Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,686 | 6 | 89% | $15,696 | — |
| 10 | Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,315 | 23 | 95% | $15,454 | $24,000 |
| 11 | Tufts University Medford, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,133 | 6 | 94% | $23,570 | — |
| 12 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,096 | 46 | 75% | — | $24,250 |
| 13 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,831 | 35 | 95% | $17,613 | $17,625 |
| 14 | Brandeis University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,748 | 32 | 86% | $25,074 | $26,000 |
| 15 | American University Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,671 | 12 | 75% | $30,225 | $27,000 |
| 16 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,668 | 109 | 85% | — | $14,922 |
| 17 | University of Washington - Bothell Campus Bothell, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,668 | 6 | 65% | — | $14,922 |
| 18 | Connecticut College New London, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,358 | 17 | 82% | $27,183 | $21,220 |
| 19 | Wellesley College Wellesley, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,231 | 12 | 92% | $19,292 | $9,525 |
| 20 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,479 | 87 | 96% | $15,315 | $22,486 |
| 21 | Fordham University Bronx, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,811 | 16 | 82% | $38,931 | $26,884 |
| 22 | Middlebury College Middlebury, VT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,467 | 15 | 91% | $20,918 | $11,593 |
| 23 | DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,248 | 8 | 68% | $28,141 | $24,500 |
| 24 | Hobart William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,939 | 4 | 77% | $22,374 | $24,250 |
| 25 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,814 | 3 | 58% | — | $24,982 |
| 26 | Brown University Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,165 | 44 | 96% | $14,644 | $12,000 |
| 27 | Williams College Williamstown, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,595 | 17 | 94% | $10,747 | — |
| 28 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,019 | 36 | 81% | $13,712 | $10,236 |
| 29 | St Olaf College Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,569 | 8 | 84% | $18,124 | $21,000 |
| 30 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,557 | 30 | 63% | — | $23,500 |
| 31 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,304 | 21 | 95% | $19,452 | $19,250 |
| 32 | University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,280 | 7 | 96% | — | $23,000 |
| 33 | Barnard College New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,142 | 27 | 93% | $24,675 | $19,000 |
| 34 | Emory University Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,549 | 7 | 91% | $20,586 | $19,500 |
| 35 | University of Richmond University of Richmond, VA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,340 | 6 | 85% | $24,049 | $19,750 |
| 36 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,103 | 11 | 65% | — | $15,655 |
| 37 | University at Albany Albany, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,808 | 7 | 61% | — | $22,305 |
| 38 | Dickinson College Carlisle, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $32,722 | 39 | 80% | $22,831 | $19,802 |
| 39 | University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,064 | 25 | 79% | — | $20,125 |
| 40 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,955 | 107 | 91% | — | $13,000 |
| 41 | Utah State University Logan, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,894 | 23 | 59% | — | $13,000 |
| 42 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,480 | 40 | 68% | — | $24,500 |
| 43 | University of Oregon Eugene, OR Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,427 | 5 | 72% | — | $20,251 |
| 44 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,897 | 18 | 87% | — | — |
| 45 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,716 | 33 | 94% | $14,126 | — |
| 46 | University of Maryland - Baltimore County Baltimore, MD Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,545 | 7 | 70% | — | $26,500 |
| 47 | Smith College Northampton, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,878 | 18 | 89% | $17,183 | $19,000 |
| 48 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,746 | 77 | 89% | — | $22,215 |
| 49 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,316 | 19 | 70% | — | $17,500 |
| 50 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,591 | 34 | 69% | — | $15,697 |
Offered across 51 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 25-1062, Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary, and its national outlook.
Graduates of Area Studies can pursue careers in various fields, including education, research, and international relations. The job outlook for related occupations is about as fast as average, with an expected growth of 2.4% and about 1,100 annual openings. The median wage for professionals in this field is approximately $84,290, typically requiring a doctoral or professional degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Area Studies
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 05.01.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 05.01 (Area Studies) maps to 1 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupation, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 25-1062 | Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondaryprimary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Area Studies programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, gender studies, and cross-cultural perspectives.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Concentrations within Area Studies
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- African StudiesCIP 05.0101
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of the African Continent, usually with an emphasis on Africa south of the Sahara, and inc
- American/United States Studies/CivilizationCIP 05.0102
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of the United States and its Pre-Columbian and colonial predecessors, and including the flow of immigrants from other s
- Asian Studies/CivilizationCIP 05.0103
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of the Asian Continent, including the study of the Asian diasporas overseas.
- East Asian StudiesCIP 05.0104
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of East Asia, defined as including China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, Tibet, related
- Russian, Central European, East European and Eurasian StudiesCIP 05.0105
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of the region encompassing Russia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Eurasia, including the Balkan, Baltic, Caucasus,
- European Studies/CivilizationCIP 05.0106
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of the European Continent, including the study of European migration patterns and colonia
- Latin American StudiesCIP 05.0107
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the Hispanic peoples of the North and South American Continents outside Canada and the United States,
- Near and Middle Eastern StudiesCIP 05.0108
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of North Africa, Southwestern Asia, Asia Minor, and the Arabian Peninsula, related border
- Pacific Area/Pacific Rim StudiesCIP 05.0109
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of Australasia and the Pacific Ocean, related island groups and bordering coastal regions
- Russian StudiesCIP 05.0110
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of the Russian Federation and its Soviet, Czarist, and medieval predecessors and related
- Scandinavian StudiesCIP 05.0111
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of Scandinavia, defined as Northern Europe including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, S
- South Asian StudiesCIP 05.0112
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of South Asia, defined as including Afghanistan, India, the Maldives, Myanmar (Burma), Pa
Common questions
What is Area Studies?+
Area Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines specific geographical, national, or cultural regions.
What skills will I gain from this program?+
You will develop skills in reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, and active learning.
What careers can I pursue with a degree in Area Studies?+
Graduates can work in education, research, and international relations, among other fields.
What is the job outlook for Area Studies graduates?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 2.4% and 1,100 annual openings.
How much do Area Studies graduates earn?+
Area Studies graduates report median earnings of $34,280 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary occupation pays about $98,330 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Area Studies?+
Area Studies maps to CIP 05.01 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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