by our College Data Analytics Team
Area Studies is offered at a wide range of schools across the country, but at some it makes up a far larger share of the degrees awarded than at others. This ranking identifies the schools most focused on area studies — those where the major represents the largest percentage of degrees awarded.
College Factual ranked the 186 area studies schools in the United States by the share of their degrees awarded in the major.
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We also rank the most focused Area Studies schools at each degree level. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
Below are the schools where area studies makes up the largest share of degrees in the United States.
The most focused school in the country for area studies is Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Fort Worth. Area Studies accounts for around 100% of the degrees granted here, or about 637 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wesleyan University is one of the most focused area studies schools, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Middletown, Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit university. About 6% of the degrees Wesleyan University awards are in area studies, or about 47 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Wesleyan University
Coastline Community College came in at #3 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Coastline Community College is a public school located in the city of Fountain Valley. About 6% of the degrees Coastline Community College awards are in area studies, or about 106 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Coastline Community College
Bowdoin College is one of the most focused area studies schools, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Brunswick, Bowdoin College is a private not-for-profit institution. Area Studies accounts for around 6% of the degrees granted here, or about 27 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Bowdoin College
Dickinson College came in at #5 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Set in the city of Carlisle, Dickinson College is a private not-for-profit institution. Area Studies accounts for around 5% of the degrees granted here, or about 22 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Dickinson College
Oberlin College ranked #6 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Located in the town of Oberlin, Oberlin College is a private not-for-profit university. At this school, roughly 3% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 22 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Oberlin College
Barnard College comes in at #7 for area studies focus this year. Barnard College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. At this school, roughly 3% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 27 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Barnard College
Williams College ranked #8 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Set in the town of Williamstown, Williams College is a private not-for-profit institution. Area Studies accounts for around 3% of the degrees granted here, or about 17 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Williams College
Connecticut College ranked #9 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Connecticut College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of New London. At this school, roughly 3% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 11 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Connecticut College
American Samoa Community College placed #10 for area studies by degree focus. American Samoa Community College is a public school located in the rural area of Pago Pago. Area Studies accounts for around 3% of the degrees granted here, or about 6 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for American Samoa Community College
Smith College landed the #11 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Located in the city of Northampton, Smith College is a private not-for-profit university. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 19 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Smith College
Trinity College ranked #12 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Trinity College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Hartford. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 13 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Trinity College
Wellesley College landed the #13 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Set in the suburb of Wellesley, Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit institution. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 14 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Wellesley College
Scripps College comes in at #14 for area studies focus this year. Scripps College is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Claremont. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 6 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Scripps College
Amherst College landed the #15 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Located in the city of Amherst, Amherst College is a private not-for-profit university. About 2% of the degrees Amherst College awards are in area studies, or about 11 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Amherst College
Vassar College placed #16 for area studies by degree focus. Located in the suburb of Poughkeepsie, Vassar College is a private not-for-profit university. About 2% of the degrees Vassar College awards are in area studies, or about 12 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Vassar College
Franklin And Marshall College comes in at #17 for area studies focus this year. Located in the city of Lancaster, Franklin And Marshall College is a private not-for-profit university. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 10 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Franklin And Marshall College
Pitzer College landed the #18 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Set in the suburb of Claremont, Pitzer College is a private not-for-profit institution. About 2% of the degrees Pitzer College awards are in area studies, or about 5 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Pitzer College
Hobart William Smith Colleges comes in at #19 for area studies focus this year. Hobart William Smith Colleges is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Geneva. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 7 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Hobart William Smith Colleges
Occidental College comes in at #20 for area studies focus this year. Occidental College is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 7 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Occidental College
Colby College comes in at #21 for area studies focus this year. Set in the town of Waterville, Colby College is a private not-for-profit institution. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 9 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Colby College
Brown University landed the #22 spot among the most focused area studies schools. Brown University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Providence. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 56 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Brown University
Georgetown University placed #23 for area studies by degree focus. Georgetown University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. About 2% of the degrees Georgetown University awards are in area studies, or about 125 graduates in the most recent year. Get the full area studies details for Georgetown University
Mount Holyoke College placed #24 for area studies by degree focus. Set in the suburb of South Hadley, Mount Holyoke College is a private not-for-profit institution. Area Studies accounts for around 2% of the degrees granted here, or about 9 graduates in the most recent year. Read the full area studies report for Mount Holyoke College
Princeton University ranked #25 on our list of the most focused area studies schools. Princeton University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Princeton. At this school, roughly 2% of all degrees awarded are in area studies, or about 37 graduates in the most recent year. See more about area studies at Princeton University
These schools are also among the most focused for area studies this year:
These schools also award degrees in area studies and are worth a look:
Explore the most focused area studies schools by region.
This ranking is produced by College Factual. The ranking reflects how concentrated each school’s degrees are in the major (completions in the field as a share of all completions), drawn from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
