Area Studies
Area Studies graduates earn an average annual wage of $137,183, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 2,930 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Area Studies and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$9,728 Median In-State Public
$51,404 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Area Studies majors are, on average, $9,728 for in-state public colleges, and $51,404 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Area Studies programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
8,879 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Area Studies from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Area Studies.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 3 | University of Central Florida | FL | 59,095 |
| 4 | University of Maryland Global Campus | MD | 48,238 |
| 5 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 44,617 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Area Studies programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laney College | CA | $1,148 |
| 2 | Berkeley City College | CA | $1,148 |
| 3 | Chabot College | CA | $1,150 |
| 4 | Fullerton College | CA | $1,150 |
| 5 | Irvine Valley College | CA | $1,156 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Area Studies programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada College | CA | $10 |
| 2 | West Valley College | CA | $1,842 |
| 3 | Irvine Valley College | CA | $1,886 |
| 4 | Moreno Valley College | CA | $1,996 |
| 5 | College of the Canyons | CA | $2,114 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Area Studies programs.
Graduation Rates
56.87% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
56.85% Average Graduation Rate
507 Institutions Reporting
45.55% - 68.64% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Area Studies programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Area Studies graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$137,183 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Area Studies majors is $137,183.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Area Studies majors.
Occupations by Share
2,930 2023 Workforce
The number of Area Studies graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Area Studies by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Area Studies degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Area Studies degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Area Studies in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Area Studies.
Age distribution for Area Studies degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
8,879 Total Degrees Awarded
2,236 Male (25.18%)
6,643 Female (74.82%)
Gender distribution of Area Studies degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
5,490 White (61.83%)
918 Hispanic or Latino (10.34%)
786 Black or African American (8.85%)
464 Asian (5.23%)
251 Two or More Races (2.83%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Area Studies degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Area Studies are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Area Studies.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Area Studies field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Area Studies majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Area Studies majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Area Studies majors.
About
Area Studies
In 2023, 8,879 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Area Studies.
CIP Code
13.0501 - Area Studies
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Area Studies graduates earn an average annual wage of $137,183, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.