Best Area Studies Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
10
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$254,084
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$62,971
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Stanford University
Grad rate: 94.0% |
CA | +$466,396 | $73,536 | $82,162 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Grad rate: 93.2% |
MI | +$412,290 | $65,949 | $33,345 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Georgetown University
Grad rate: 95.0% |
DC | +$327,448 | $66,842 | $84,696 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
University of Chicago
Grad rate: 95.2% |
IL | +$326,808 | $67,026 | $86,856 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
George Washington University
Grad rate: 85.0% |
DC | +$325,386 | $66,342 | $80,727 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Grad rate: 84.0% |
WA | +$256,536 | $57,855 | $30,282 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
CA | +$148,314 | $53,080 | $36,643 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
New York University
Grad rate: 87.8% |
NY | +$135,738 | $56,699 | $79,121 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Columbia University in the City of New York
Grad rate: 95.1% |
NY | +$78,156 | $54,512 | $86,042 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
The University of Texas at Austin
Grad rate: 87.7% |
TX | +$63,776 | $48,173 | $29,842 | N/A | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Area Studies Degrees by State
Browse Area Studies programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.