2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in Massachusetts
Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices
Finding the Best Area Studies School for You
Area Studies is the #77 most popular major in Massachusetts with 414 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.
The Best Value Area Studies Schools in Massachusetts ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 10 schools in Massachusetts to see which programs offered the best value experiences for area studies students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
Our ranking of value is based on the quality of a program as defined in our per sticker price dollar. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
In our regional and nationwide rankings, out-of-state tution and fees are used in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
Top 10 Best Area Studies Schools
Our analysis found University of Massachusetts Amherst to be the best value school for area studies students who want to pursue a degree in Massachusetts. Located in the large suburb of Amherst, UMass Amherst is a public school with a very large student population.
UMass Amherst undergraduate students pay an average of $16,439 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
Full Area Studies at University of Massachusetts Amherst Report
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Williams College is a great value for area studies students. Williams is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Williamstown.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Williams are $59,660 a year.
Williams did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Area Studies Schools in Massachusetts list.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Massachusetts - Boston. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Area Studies Schools in Massachusetts list. Located in the city of Boston, UMass Boston is a public college with a large student population.
UMass Boston undergraduate students pay an average of $14,677 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
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The excellent programs at Amherst College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best area studies schools in Massachusetts. Amherst is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Amherst.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Amherst are $61,150 per year.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Wellesley College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools in Massachusetts list. Wellesley is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Wellesley.
The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Wellesley are $60,752 a year. After completing their degree, area studies graduates from Wellesley carry an average student debtload of $9,725.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Wellesley is ranked #4 for overall quality for area studies in Massachusetts.
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With a ranking of #6, Brandeis University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for area studies students. Located in the city of Waltham, Brandeis is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Brandeis are $60,006 per year. While working on their degree, area studies majors at Brandeis accumulate an average of around $27,000 in student debt.
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Tufts University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools in Massachusetts ranking. Tufts is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Medford.
Tufts undergraduate students pay an average of $63,000 in in-state tuition and fees each year. On average, area studies graduates from Tufts take out $13,500 in student loans while working on their degree.
Tufts also claimed a spot on our Best Area Studies Schools in Massachusetts list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category.
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Wheaton College Massachusetts did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for area studies students. It came in at #8 on the list. Wheaton College Massachusetts is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Norton.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Wheaton College Massachusetts are $58,180 per year.
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Smith College landed the #9 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value area studies programs. Located in the large suburb of Northampton, Smith is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Smith are $56,114 per year. After completing their degree, area studies graduates from Smith carry an average student debtload of $19,000.
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Mount Holyoke College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value schools for area studies students. It came in at #10 on the list. Mt. Holyoke is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of South Hadley.
Mt. Holyoke undergraduate students pay an average of $56,518 in in-state tuition and fees each year.
Request InformationBest Value Area Studies Colleges in the New England Region
Explore all the Best Value Area Studies Colleges in the New England Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | 217 |
| New Hampshire | 60 |
| Maine | 75 |
| Rhode Island | 107 |
| Vermont | 45 |
More Area Studies Rankings in Massachusetts
Other Related Area Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Explore societal similarities and differences as seen through cultural, biological, archaeological and linguistic lenses when you earn one of your degrees in anthropology from Southern New Hampshire University.
Area Studies Related Majors for Area Studies
One of 2 majors within the area of study, area studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
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 10 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 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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