Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies programs.
College Factual analyzed 832 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools.
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No school ranked higher than Duke University this year for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Set in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit institution. About 97% of students finish 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. Typical student debt for the program is $13,296.
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A rank of #2 makes Vanderbilt University one of the top schools for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Vanderbilt University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. Vanderbilt University graduates 94% of students within six years. There were roughly 27 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $77,997 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $13,975 to complete this degree.
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Georgetown University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 95%. Georgetown University awarded about 131 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data 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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Stanford University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, landing the #4 spot this year. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the suburb of Stanford. The six-year graduation rate is 92%. Stanford University awarded about 57 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $41,156 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,492.
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Students looking for a strong area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program will find one at Purdue University Main Campus, which ranked #5. This very large public university is located in the city of West Lafayette. Purdue University Main Campus graduates 83% of students within six years. There were roughly 25 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Purdue University Main Campus in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $63,111 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $19,844.
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Wesleyan University placed #6 among the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Wesleyan University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Middletown. Wesleyan University graduates 93% of students within six years. There were roughly 66 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Wesleyan University 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. Typical student debt for the program is $16,125.
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Princeton University came in at #7 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. About 98% of students finish within six years. About 29 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Princeton University in the most recent year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $67,532 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $10,888 to complete this degree.
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Wellesley College came in at #8 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the suburb of Wellesley, Wellesley College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Roughly 92% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 23 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Wellesley College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Wellesley College earn around $43,275 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,525.
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University Of California Berkeley earned the #9 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of California Berkeley is a very large public school located in the city of Berkeley. Roughly 93% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 143 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of California Berkeley in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $48,568 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $15,045 to complete this degree.
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Yale University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the city of New Haven, Yale University is a large private not-for-profit university. About 96% of students finish within six years. About 55 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Yale University in the most recent year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $53,356 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $13,107.
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San Jose State University landed the #11 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of San Jose, San Jose State University is a very large public institution. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 14 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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Harvard University earned the #12 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Harvard University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. Harvard University graduates 98% of students within six years. About 26 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Harvard University in the most recent year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Harvard University earn around $95,207 in the first couple years of their career. Harvard University graduates carry a median of $16,616 in student loans.
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Dartmouth College came in at #13 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Dartmouth College is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Hanover. Roughly 96% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 46 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Dartmouth College in the most recent 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.
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Pennsylvania State University Main Campus earned the #14 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of University Park. Pennsylvania State University Main Campus graduates 86% of students within six years. About 27 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Pennsylvania State University Main Campus in the most recent year.
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Clemson University ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. About 87% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 10 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Clemson University 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. Typical student debt for the program is $23,783.
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College Of William And Mary came in at #16 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the suburb of Williamsburg, College Of William And Mary is a large public university. About 89% of students finish within six years. College Of William And Mary awarded about 21 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from College Of William And Mary earn around $53,779 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,250.
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University Of Georgia came in at #17 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Athens, University Of Georgia is a very large public institution. University Of Georgia graduates 90% of students within six years. About 54 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at University Of Georgia in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Georgia generally make around $53,546. Typical student debt for the program is $21,792.
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University Of Massachusetts Amherst earned the #18 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a very large public school located in the city of Amherst. Roughly 83% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 23 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of Massachusetts Amherst in the most recent data year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of Massachusetts Amherst earn a median of $53,543 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $25,234 to complete this degree.
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Williams College placed #19 among the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the town of Williamstown, Williams College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Williams College graduates 94% of students within six years. 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. Students borrow a median of $12,615 to complete this degree.
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University Of Virginia Main Campus came in at #20 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville. Roughly 96% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Virginia Main Campus awarded about 17 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 Virginia Main Campus earn around $34,263 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,153.
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University Of Utah came in at #21 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public institution. University Of Utah graduates 65% of students within six years. There were roughly 59 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of Utah in the most recent data year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of Utah earn a median of $60,527 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $20,798.
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Franklin And Marshall College came in at #22 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. About 84% of students finish within six years. About 10 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Franklin And Marshall College in the most recent 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. Franklin And Marshall College graduates carry a median of $20,411 in student loans.
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Amherst College landed the #23 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Amherst College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Amherst. About 94% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 23 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at Amherst College in the most recent data year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Amherst College earn a median of $48,220 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $18,032.
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University Of Washington Seattle Campus earned the #24 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. About 173 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at University Of Washington Seattle Campus in the most recent year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of Washington Seattle Campus earn a median of $43,097 early in their careers. University Of Washington Seattle Campus graduates carry a median of $14,935 in student loans.
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University Of Southern California ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit institution. University Of Southern California graduates 92% of students within six years. About 25 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at University Of Southern California in the most recent year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $75,677 early in their careers. University Of Southern California graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans.
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Rest of the Top 50 Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies ranking:
This list is compiled 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).