Columbia University in the City of New York Area Studies: earnings, debt & careers

Area Studies graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median $96,884 four years after graduating ($41,479 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $22,486. That is $39,676 above the U.S. median for Area Studies graduates ($57,208 across 70 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 7 New York colleges.

Show numbers for my family

Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$96,884

U.S. median for this major: $57,208.

College Scorecard field of study; 29 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$41,479

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$22,486

About 23% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $20,552.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$21,590 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $89,472. College Scorecard.

Columbia University in the City of New York Area Studies: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Columbia University in the City of New York graduates$96,884
New York median (7 colleges)$66,117 (+$30,767)
U.S. median (70 colleges)$57,208 (+$39,676)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Area Studies nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses Columbia University in the City of New York's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$4,570$19,148under 1 year
$30–48k$2,275$9,532under 1 year
$48–75k$5,866$24,579under 1 year
$75–110k$11,782$49,367under 1 year
$110k+$50,621$212,1023.4 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (80% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Area Studies graduates 4 years after graduating ($96,884) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $62,251 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Area Studies at New York colleges

Every New York college we cover that reports Area Studies graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Cornell University$96,976$17,625$28,69095%
2Columbia University in the City of New York$96,884$22,486$21,59096%
3Fordham University$75,563$26,884$44,33882%
4Barnard College$66,117$19,000$28,80093%
5New York University$62,651$19,250$37,05088%
6Hobart William Smith Colleges$60,381$24,250$31,56377%
7University at Albany$50,572$22,305$17,16761%

43 more New York colleges offer Area Studies but have too few graduates to report earnings.

What families pay at Columbia University in the City of New York, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Columbia University in the City of New York

Related majors at Columbia University in the City of New York

  • English$59,396
  • History$98,079
  • Liberal Arts / General Studies$99,679
  • Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
  • Philosophy$56,885
  • Linguistics—

Columbia University in the City of New York Area Studies questions

How much do Columbia University in the City of New York Area Studies graduates earn?

Area Studies graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median $96,884 four years after graduating and $41,479 one year after. The U.S. median for Area Studies graduates across 70 colleges is $57,208.

How much debt do Columbia University in the City of New York Area Studies graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Area Studies graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York is $22,486, about 23% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $20,552.

Is Columbia University in the City of New York a good school for Area Studies in New York?

On pay, Area Studies graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York earn $96,884 four years out, $30,767 above the median for the same major across 7 New York colleges ($66,117) and $39,676 above the U.S. median ($57,208). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Columbia University in the City of New York rank for Area Studies in New York?

Of 7 New York colleges reporting Area Studies graduate earnings, Columbia University in the City of New York ranks 2nd. The highest is Cornell University at $96,976.

Is Columbia University in the City of New York the right fit for your family?

Get a free report comparing Columbia University in the City of New York with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.

Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting in

We never share your contact information.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Columbia University in the City of New York Area Studies: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york/majors/area-studies (College Scorecard and BLS data).