by our College Data Analytics Team
If you’re a veteran, service member, or military-affiliated student looking to study area studies, you’ve come to the right place. The list below highlights 70 programs that serve veteran area studies students especially well, using our 2026 methodology.
We measure this ranking on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students: affordability and veteran financial benefits (including GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community. So you can compare your options, College Factual analyzed colleges nationwide, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ready to build your own comparison? Try our College Combat to build custom comparisons on the factors you care about most.
Explore the best area studies colleges for veterans at a specific degree level:
Explore the leading area studies colleges for veterans below:
No school served veteran area studies students better than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this year. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scores 90.4 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. See the full area studies report for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a great choice for veterans pursuing area studies, landing the #2 spot this year. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor scores 89.6 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. More about the area studies program at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
William & Mary came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best area studies colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 89.2 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full area studies report for William & Mary
California State University-Long Beach is a great choice for veterans pursuing area studies, landing the #4 spot this year. The school's overall veterans score is 86.7 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. Read more about area studies at California State University-Long Beach
University of Florida came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best area studies colleges for veterans. It scores 86.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0.
Read more about area studies at University of Florida
5
Binghamton University landed the #6 spot for veterans pursuing area studies. Binghamton University scores 85.8 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies at Binghamton University
University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best area studies colleges for veterans. It scores 85.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the area studies program at University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of New Mexico-Main Campus placed #8 among the best area studies colleges for veterans. It scores 85.0 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 100.0. Read more about area studies at University of New Mexico-Main Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best area studies colleges for veterans. It scores 84.6 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 100.0. Read more about area studies at University of Maryland Global Campus
University of California-Santa Barbara ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best area studies colleges for veterans. University of California-Santa Barbara scores 84.5 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score.
See the full area studies report for University of California-Santa Barbara
10
University of Connecticut came in at #11 for veteran area studies students this year. It scores 84.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. Read more about area studies at University of Connecticut
University of Kansas came in at #12 for veteran area studies students this year. University of Kansas scores 84.0 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about area studies at University of Kansas
Miami University-Oxford placed #13 among the best area studies colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 83.6 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies at Miami University-Oxford
Florida State University placed #14 among the best area studies colleges for veterans. Florida State University scores 82.4 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 100.0 veteran-support score. Read more about area studies at Florida State University
University of South Carolina-Columbia ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best area studies colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 81.6 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7.
See the full area studies report for University of South Carolina-Columbia
15
Virginia Commonwealth University landed the #16 spot for veterans pursuing area studies. The school's overall veterans score is 81.3 out of 100. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the area studies program at Virginia Commonwealth University
University of Iowa ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best area studies colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 81.1 out of 100. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies at University of Iowa
Towson University landed the #18 spot for veterans pursuing area studies. Towson University scores 80.9 out of 100 for veteran support overall. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. Read more about area studies at Towson University
California State University-Fullerton came in at #19 for veteran area studies students this year. It scores 80.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the area studies program at California State University-Fullerton
University of Illinois Chicago placed #20 among the best area studies colleges for veterans. It scores 80.2 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7.
See the full area studies report for University of Illinois Chicago
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University of Missouri-Columbia placed #21 among the best area studies colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 79.9 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, with a veteran-resources score of 66.7. More about the area studies program at University of Missouri-Columbia
University of California-Los Angeles landed the #22 spot for veterans pursuing area studies. It scores 79.4 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Its affordability for veterans scores 100.0, and veteran resources 66.7. Read more about area studies at University of California-Los Angeles
American University placed #23 among the best area studies colleges for veterans. It scores 79.3 out of 100 for serving veteran and military students. Veteran affordability (GI Bill benefits, tuition support) scores 48.0, and veteran resources 66.7. More about the area studies program at American University
George Washington University placed #24 among the best area studies colleges for veterans. George Washington University scores 79.2 out of 100 for veteran support overall. Its affordability for veterans scores 41.7, and veteran resources 66.7. See the full area studies report for George Washington University
University of Massachusetts-Boston placed #25 among the best area studies colleges for veterans. The school's overall veterans score is 79.0 out of 100. On veteran affordability it scores 100.0, alongside a 66.7 veteran-support score. More about the area studies program at University of Massachusetts-Boston
Not far behind, these area studies colleges also rank among the best for veterans this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is based on the factors that matter most to veteran and military-affiliated students studying area studies: affordability and veteran financial benefits (GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon), academic quality, on-campus veteran resources and support services, veteran-friendly policies, and the size of the veteran student community.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition.
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.
