2023 Best Area Studies Schools
Finding the Best Area Studies School for You
Area Studies is the #112 most popular major in the country with 6,966 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Area Studies Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 106 schools in the United States to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Area Studies Schools in the United States
The colleges and universities below are the best for area studies majors pursuing a .
Top 15% Best Area Studies Schools
Our analysis found Bowdoin College to be the best school for area studies students who want to pursue a degree in the United States. Bowdoin is a small private not-for-profit school located in the fringe town of Brunswick.
On average, area studies graduates from Bowdoin take out $19,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Dartmouth College is a great place for area studies students. Dartmouth is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the remote town of Hanover.
On average, area studies graduates from Dartmouth take out $16,041 in student loans while working on their degree.
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Out of the 106 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Duke University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Duke is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Durham.
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A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Georgetown University is a great place for area studies students. Located in the large city of Washington, Georgetown is a private not-for-profit school with a very large student population.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Williams College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Area Studies Schools list. Located in the fringe town of Williamstown, Williams is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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Brown University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for area studies students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the medium-sized city of Providence, Brown is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
While working on their degree, area studies majors at Brown accumulate an average of around $15,275 in student debt.
Full Area Studies at Brown University Report
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University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Area Studies Schools ranking. UMN Duluth is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Duluth.
Full Area Studies at University of Minnesota - Duluth Report
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Barnard College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best area studies programs. Located in the city of New York, Barnard is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
The average amount in student loans that area studies majors at Barnard take out is $19,000.
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Stanford University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for area studies students. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
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University of Missouri - Columbia ranked #10 on this year’s Best Area Studies Schools list. Mizzou is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia.
Area Studies majors at Mizzou take out an average of $25,250 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $461, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
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Amherst College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Area Studies Schools list. Located in the suburb of Amherst, Amherst is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
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Wellesley College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Area Studies Schools list. Located in the suburb of Wellesley, Wellesley is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
On average, area studies graduates from Wellesley take out $9,725 in student loans while working on their degree.
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William & Mary landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best area studies programs. Located in the suburb of Williamsburg, William & Mary is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
The average amount in student loans that area studies majors at William & Mary take out is $13,750.
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With a ranking of #14, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on this year’s best schools for area studies students. UC Berkeley is a very large public school located in the midsize city of Berkeley.
After completing their degree, area studies graduates from UC Berkeley carry an average student debtload of $17,000.
Full Area Studies at University of California - Berkeley Report
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Siena Heights University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for area studies students. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in the distant town of Adrian, Siena Heights University is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
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Request InformationHonorable Mentions
Here are some additional great schools for Area Studies students that almost earned our Best Area Studies Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | University of Wisconsin - Madison | Madison, WI |
| 17 | Colgate University | Hamilton, NY |
| 18 | Cornell University | Ithaca, NY |
| 19 | Brandeis University | Waltham, MA |
| 20 | Miami University - Oxford | Oxford, OH |
| 21 | Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT |
Area Studies by Region
View the Best Area Studies Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More Area Studies Rankings
Area Studies Related Rankings by Major
Area Studies is one of 2 different types of programs to choose from.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Ethnic Studies | 9,231 |
| Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies (Other) | 46 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Karl Udo Gerth.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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