Social sciences: every university, ranked by pay
Area Studies at Columbia University
Bachelor's degree · New York, New York · 127 graduates in two years
What do Columbia area studies graduates earn?
Median yearly pay of graduates who had federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Hidden where too few graduates to publish.
What does it take to get into Columbia?
Admission is to the university, not the program, at most US schools.
How much does Columbia cost?
Sticker price for a year, and what students actually paid after grants.
The cost by family income, debt and who finishes are on Columbia's page.
What careers does Area Studies lead to?
Careers people reach through this field, each with its pay, training and what the work is like.
- PsychologistYou test, diagnose and treat what is happening in someone's mind. A doctorate, an internship and a national exam stand between you and the title.$101kTypical pay9 to 12 yearsTo qualifyVery highDemand
- Social WorkerYou sit with people on the worst day of their lives and find them a way through. Licensed, underpaid and badly needed.$60kTypical pay4 to 6 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand
- EconomistMeasure how money, work and prices actually behave, then say what a policy or a merger will really do.$125kTypical pay4 to 9 yearsTo qualifyGoodDemand
- 911 DispatcherAnswer the worst call of someone's life, work out what they need, and send help while keeping them alive on the line.$53kTypical payup to 1 yearTo qualifyModerateDemand
- Border Patrol AgentA federal law enforcement job patrolling the land between the ports of entry, mostly in the desert Southwest.$76kTypical pay1 to 2 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand
- Career CounselorHelp people pick a direction and get hired. Steady hours, modest pay, a master's degree for the better jobs.$64kTypical pay4 to 7 yearsTo qualifyModerateDemand
Area Studies at other universities
The same program elsewhere, New York first, then the best paid.
| University | Pay, five years out | Debt | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of MissouriMissouri | $79,688 | $19,500 | 79% |
| University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia | $73,279 | $15,643 | 11% |
| Brigham Young UniversityUtah | $70,547 | Hidden | 68% |
| The University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina | $69,024 | $13,230 | 15% |
| University of WashingtonWashington | $67,465 | $11,125 | 39% |
| Brown UniversityRhode Island | $59,822 | $12,375 | 5% |
| The University of Texas at AustinTexas | $55,503 | $16,500 | 27% |
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Pay is the median for graduates who received federal aid, measured one and five years after finishing; debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Columbia University. Figures describe past students.