Master’s Degrees in Area Studies
Featured schools near , edit
Education Levels of Area Studies Majors
During the most recent year for which data is available, 1,323 people earned their master's degree in area studies. This makes it the 90th most popular master's degree program in the country.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in area studies at each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 1,323 |
Doctor’s Degree | 254 |
Graduate Certificate | 142 |
Earnings of Area Studies Majors With Master’s Degrees
The median salary for graduates holding a master's degree in area studies is $48,121. However, this can depend on a number of factors, such as where you live and the number of years experience you have. A better approximation of salary is to look at the typical range of salaries. In this case the low is $39,846 and the high is $50,676.

Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a master's degree in area studies is $49,456. The length of time it takes you to graduate and what college you attend can affect this number quite a bit. The chart below shows the range of accumulated debt loads. On the high side of the range, $59,221 is the debt load, and the debt load on the low side is $37,846.

Student Diversity
More men than women pursue master's degrees in area studies. About 50.3% of graduates in this field are male.
Gender | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Men | 666 |
Women | 657 |

The racial-ethnic distribution of area studies master’s degree students is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 91 |
Black or African American | 75 |
Hispanic or Latino | 234 |
White | 537 |
International Students | 302 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 84 |

Most Popular Area Studies Programs for Master’s Degrees
There are 124 colleges that offer a master’s degree in area studies. Learn more about the most popular 20 below:
The most popular school in the United States for area studies students seekinga master's degree is Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Roughly 0 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $8,760 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $5,490 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 482 people received their master's degree in area studies from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. About 23% of this group were women, and 27% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Georgetown University comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in area studies. Roughly 19,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $61,872 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $56,592 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 106 people received their master's degree in area studies from Georgetown. Around 28% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 53% were women.
The 3rd most popular school in the country for area studies majors who are seeking their master's degree is New York University. Each year, around 52,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $55,384 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $37,332 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 62 people received their master's degree in area studies from NYU. Around 35% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 67% were women.
The 4th most popular school in the country for area studies majors who are seeking their master's degree is Harvard University. Roughly 30,300 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $52,659 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $52,456 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 55 people received their master's degree in area studies from Harvard. Around 15% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 60% were women.
Columbia University in the City of New York is the 5th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in area studies. Roughly 30,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $61,989 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $52,016 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 50 people received their master's degree in area studies from Columbia. Of these students, 40% were women and 24% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The University of Texas at Austin is the 6th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in area studies. Each year, around 50,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,698 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,036 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 34 people received their master's degree in area studies from UT Austin. About 72% of this group were women, and 44% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
University of Washington - Seattle Campus comes in at #7 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in area studies. Roughly 48,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,189 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $17,004 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 32 people received their master's degree in area studies from UW Seattle. About 59% of this group were women, and 36% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
University of Chicago comes in at #8 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in area studies. Roughly 17,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $61,179 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $65,145 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 30 people received their master's degree in area studies from UChicago. Of these students, 42% were women and 4% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Stanford University comes in at #9 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in area studies. Each year, around 15,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $57,693 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $56,487 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 28 people received their master's degree in area studies from Stanford. Around 38% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 57% were women.
The 10th most popular school in the country for area studies majors who are seeking their master's degree is Indiana University - Bloomington. Each year, around 43,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,012 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,033 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 26 people received their master's degree in area studies from IU Bloomington. Of these students, 45% were women and 27% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Yale University is the 11th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in area studies. Each year, around 12,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $62,250 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $46,900 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 24 people received their master's degree in area studies from Yale. Around 36% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 62% were women.
Brown University is the 12th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in area studies. Each year, around 9,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $62,680 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $62,680 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 20 people received their master's degree in area studies from Brown. Of these students, 63% were women and 52% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 12th most popular school in the country for area studies majors who are seeking their master's degree is Ohio University - Athens Campus. Each year, around 25,700 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $13,352 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $9,444 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 20 people received their master's degree in area studies from OHIO Athens.
The 14th most popular school in the country for area studies majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Arizona. Each year, around 45,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,210 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,348 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 18 people received their master's degree in area studies from University of Arizona. Around 41% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 59% were women.
University of San Francisco is the 15th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a master's degree in area studies. Each year, around 10,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $54,980 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $27,990 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 17 people received their master's degree in area studies from USFCA. Around 55% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 73% were women.
The 15th most popular school in the country for area studies majors who are seeking their master's degree is University of Southern California. Each year, around 46,200 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $63,468 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $63,468 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 17 people received their master's degree in area studies from USC. Of these students, 63% were women and 50% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
California State University - Los Angeles comes in at #17 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in area studies. Roughly 26,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $5,742 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $7,176 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 16 people received their master's degree in area studies from Cal State LA. Around 82% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 64% were women.
University of Hawaii at Manoa comes in at #18 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in area studies. Roughly 18,000 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $11,304 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $15,600 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 15 people received their master's degree in area studies from UH Manoa. About 59% of this group were women, and 71% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Florida International University comes in at #19 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in area studies. Roughly 58,800 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,721 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $9,119 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 14 people received their master's degree in area studies from FIU. Around 65% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 65% were women.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign comes in at #19 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in area studies. Each year, around 52,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $14,542 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $14,891 per year. During the most recent year for which we have data, 14 people received their master's degree in area studies from UIUC. Of these students, 90% were women and 30% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Area Studies Concentrations
Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
---|---|
383 | |
176 | |
171 | |
149 | |
122 |
Explore Major by State
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Florida
Idaho
Iowa
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Nebraska
New Jersey
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Vermont
West Virginia
Related Majors
Below are some popular majors that are similar to area studies that offer master’s degrees.
Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
---|---|
527 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Image Credit: By Karl Udo Gerth under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
![]() |
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |