Compare 33 Area Studies. programs in the Northeast. Average earnings: $43,410.
With top graduates earning $75,147, Area Studies stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $32K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige.
Cornell University's Area Studies program leads with graduates earning $75,147, while the Northeast average sits at $43,410. Dartmouth follows at $71,072, and Williams College rounds out the top three at $67,794. These outcomes reflect program-level excellence, not just institutional brand recognition.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. Cornell graduates borrow $14,000 and face just a 3.6% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. For families considering parent loans, Williams leads with a 14.7% family burden—still manageable for most graduates in this field.
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Cornell UniversityPrivate | $75,147 | 54 | $14,000 | Excellent | $38,000 | Manageable |
| #2 | Dartmouth CollegePrivate | $71,072 | 41 | $17,500 | Excellent | $44,481 | Challenging |
| #3 | Williams CollegePrivate | $67,794 | 21 | $12,761 | Excellent | $31,178 | Manageable |
| #4 | $63,437 | 62 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Challenging | |
| #5 | Yale UniversityPrivate | $62,139 | 46 | $12,975 | Excellent | $29,769 | Manageable |
| #6 | Fordham UniversityPrivate | $59,590 | 48 | $24,300 | Good | $37,095 | Challenging |
| #7 | Wellesley CollegePrivate | $55,437 | 41 | $10,000 | Excellent | $38,825 | Challenging |
| #8 | Brandeis UniversityPrivate | $55,201 | 70 | $25,648 | Good | $35,451 | High |
| #9 | Tufts UniversityPrivate | $54,435 | 30 | $16,250 | Excellent | $38,325 | High |
| #10 | Amherst CollegePrivate | $49,923 | 28 | $13,740 | Excellent | $47,598 | High |
| #11 | $49,226 | 11 | $18,750 | Good | $23,871 | Challenging | |
| #12 | Colby CollegePrivate | $48,989 | 22 | $19,157 | Good | $59,570 | High |
| #13 | Brown UniversityPrivate | $48,838 | 78 | $11,428 | Excellent | $48,245 | High |
| #14 | Dickinson CollegePrivate | $48,099 | 31 | $19,000 | Good | $45,729 | High |
| #15 | Connecticut CollegePrivate | $46,469 | 33 | $23,500 | Manageable | $44,488 | High |
| #16 | $44,744 | 16 | $21,500 | Manageable | $25,294 | High | |
| #17 | La Salle UniversityPrivate | $43,240 | 6 | $25,000 | Manageable | $31,871 | High |
| #18 | Bowdoin CollegePrivate | $42,123 | 58 | $18,500 | Manageable | $52,337 | High |
| #19 | Harvard UniversityPrivate | $41,937 | 26 | $14,000 | Good | $28,000 | High |
| #20 | Middlebury CollegePrivate | $40,843 | 23 | $13,857 | Good | $27,380 | High |
| #21 | Smith CollegePrivate | $40,081 | 40 | $17,550 | Manageable | $30,366 | High |
| #22 | $39,939 | 26 | $27,000 | Challenging | $61,178 | High | |
| #23 | Barnard CollegePrivate | $39,648 | 32 | $18,000 | Manageable | $65,000 | High |
| #24 | $38,959 | 13 | $23,507 | Challenging | $29,193 | High | |
| #25 | University At AlbanyPublic | $32,808 | 24 | $19,500 | High | $22,398 | High |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
