Area Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Area Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York

This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Columbia University in the City of New York and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Area Studies at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 59 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Columbia University in the City of New York, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.

Median graduate earnings of $96,884 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $45,335 across all institutions offering Area Studies, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Columbia University in the City of New York, the mean median-earnings figure is $106,251, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.

Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Area Studies graduates at Columbia University in the City of New York is $21,636, which translates to roughly $180 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.22 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.