Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 832 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools.
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.
Gain a rich foundation of knowledge ranging from early history to modern times with this online bachelor's degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University.
Choosing a Great Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies School
The school you choose for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies can shape your career. That is why we built our Best Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools rankings. Our overall ranking combines our degree-level rankings, weighted by degrees awarded at each level.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Rankings by Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we have developed a number of rankings, including this Best Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
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.
Gain a rich foundation of knowledge ranging from early history to modern times with this online bachelor's degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University.
Leading the list is Duke University, our #1 school for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Located in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit university. Duke University graduates 97% of students within six years. Duke University awarded about 69 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Duke University earn around $83,388 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $13,296 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies from Duke University
Vanderbilt University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, landing the #2 spot this year. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Nashville. Roughly 94% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 27 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Vanderbilt University generally make around $77,997. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete this degree.
See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for Vanderbilt University
Purdue University Main Campus came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the city of West Lafayette, Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public university. Purdue University Main Campus graduates 83% of students within six years. About 30 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Purdue University Main Campus in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Purdue University Main Campus generally make around $63,111. Purdue University Main Campus graduates carry a median of $19,844 in student loans.
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A rank of #4 makes Wesleyan University one of the top schools for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Located in the city of Middletown, Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 93%. Wesleyan University awarded about 66 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Wesleyan University earn a median of $39,764 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $16,125 to complete this degree.
See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for Wesleyan University
Wellesley College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Wellesley College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wellesley. About 92% of students finish within six years. About 23 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Wellesley College in the most recent year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $43,275 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,525.
More information about a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies from Wellesley College
Georgetown University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 95% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 131 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Georgetown University in the most recent year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Georgetown University earn around $64,783 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $17,000.
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Harvard University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the city of Cambridge, Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. About 98% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 97 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Harvard University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $95,207 in their early career. Harvard University graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans.
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University Of California Berkeley ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Berkeley. Roughly 93% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 166 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at University Of California Berkeley in the most recent year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $48,690 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $15,045 to complete this degree.
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Stanford University landed the #9 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. About 92% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 84 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Stanford University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Stanford University generally make around $41,156. Stanford University graduates carry a median of $10,492 in student loans.
Read more about the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program at Stanford University
Princeton University earned the #10 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Princeton, Princeton University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 98%. Princeton University awarded about 52 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Princeton University generally make around $67,532. Princeton University graduates carry a median of $10,888 in student loans.
More information about a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies from Princeton University
Yale University placed #11 among the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the city of New Haven, Yale University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. Yale University awarded about 106 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Yale University earn around $53,962 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $13,107.
See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for Yale University
Dartmouth College ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Dartmouth College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Hanover. The six-year graduation rate is 96%. There were roughly 46 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Dartmouth College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Dartmouth College earn around $46,718 in the first couple years of their career. Dartmouth College graduates carry a median of $16,390 in student loans.
See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for Dartmouth College
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus earned the #13 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus graduates 86% of students within six years. There were roughly 27 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Pennsylvania State University Main Campus in the most recent data year.
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University Of Georgia earned the #14 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 90%. There were roughly 65 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of Georgia in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from University Of Georgia earn around $53,546 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $21,792 to complete this degree.
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Clemson University ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. About 87% of students finish within six years. Clemson University awarded about 10 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Clemson University earn around $53,834 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $23,783 to complete this degree.
See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for Clemson University
College Of William And Mary earned the #16 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Williamsburg. The six-year graduation rate is 89%. About 33 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at College Of William And Mary in the most recent year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $53,779 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,250.
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San Jose State University ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the city of San Jose, San Jose State University is a very large public institution. About 69% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 25 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at San Jose State University in the most recent data year.
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University Of Massachusetts Amherst ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public school located in the city of Amherst. The six-year graduation rate is 83%. University Of Massachusetts Amherst awarded about 34 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from University Of Massachusetts Amherst earn around $53,543 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,234.
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Williams College placed #19 among the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the town of Williamstown, Williams College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 94% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 25 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Williams College in the most recent year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Williams College earn around $38,595 in the first couple years of their career. Williams College graduates carry a median of $12,615 in student loans.
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Boston University ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Boston. Roughly 89% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 22 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Boston University in the most recent year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Boston University earn around $63,598 in the first couple years of their career. Boston University graduates carry a median of $25,232 in student loans.
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Illinois State University earned the #21 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a very large public institution. About 64% of students finish within six years. About 14 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Illinois State University in the most recent year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Illinois State University earn a median of $49,660 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $21,896.
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University Of Virginia Main Campus ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the suburb of Charlottesville, University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public institution. About 96% of students finish within six years. University Of Virginia Main Campus awarded about 18 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Virginia Main Campus generally make around $34,266. Typical student debt for the program is $22,153.
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University Of Utah came in at #23 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public university. University Of Utah graduates 65% of students within six years. University Of Utah awarded about 78 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $60,527 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $20,798 to complete this degree.
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University Of Kansas came in at #24 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Kansas awarded about 53 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Kansas generally make around $56,289. Typical student debt for the program is $23,608.
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Franklin And Marshall College landed the #25 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Lancaster, Franklin And Marshall College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Franklin And Marshall College graduates 84% of students within six years. Franklin And Marshall College awarded about 10 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Franklin And Marshall College earn around $43,020 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,411.
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Rest of the Top 50 Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools
Not far behind, these schools also delivered a strong area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies education:
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 832 schools evaluated.
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
