by our College Data Analytics Team
[Area Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their area studies graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find where area studies graduates earn the most.
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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.
The right area studies school can pay off in your paycheck for years to come. To help, we created our Highest Paid Area Studies Graduates ranking. We rank each school on the early-career earnings of its area studies graduates to surface the highest-paying programs.
Learn more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Area Studies Graduates list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
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.
Below are the schools whose area studies graduates go on to earn the most.
Our analysis ranked Stanford University the top school for area studies graduate earnings in the United States. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the area studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $94,964.
Strong graduate earnings at George Washington University earned it the #2 place for area studies. George Washington University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Early-career area studies graduates from George Washington University make a median of around $87,023 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in area studies will find them at Georgetown University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit institution. Area Studies graduates of Georgetown University earn a median of about $92,225 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in area studies will find them at University Of California Los Angeles, which ranked #4. University Of California Los Angeles is a public school located in the city of Los Angeles. After graduating, area studies degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles typically earn about $73,216 annually.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Washington Seattle Campus one of the highest-paying schools for area studies. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public institution. After graduating, area studies degree recipients from University Of Washington Seattle Campus typically earn about $83,946 annually.
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The University Of Texas At Austin earned the #6 position for area studies graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a public institution. Students who complete the area studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $74,111.
New York University came in at #7 for area studies graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of New York, New York University is a private not-for-profit institution. Area Studies graduates of New York University earn a median of about $64,679 a year early in their careers.
University Of Michigan Ann Arbor landed the #8 spot for area studies salaries this year. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a public institution. After graduating, area studies degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor typically earn about $87,185 annually.
University Of Chicago landed the #9 spot for area studies salaries this year. Set in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the area studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $68,367.
Columbia University In The City Of New York ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying area studies schools. Set in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the area studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $42,327.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries area studies graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 10 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
