Area Studies graduates from George Mason University earn $31,133 median salary — below the national average for this program.
Area Studies at George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Area Studies at George Mason University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for George Mason University 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 3 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at George Mason University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $31,133 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 below the national average for this program. Across all programs at George Mason University, the mean median-earnings figure is $82,216, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Area Studies at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell University | $96,976 | $17,250 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $96,884 | $21,636 |
| Miami University-Oxford | $79,449 | $20,526 |
| Bowdoin College | $75,966 | $24,000 |
| University of Notre Dame | $75,832 | $18,250 |
| Fordham University | $75,563 | $26,000 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | $75,230 | $21,000 |
| Emory University | $75,205 | $19,500 |
| Trinity College | $73,229 | — |
| University of California-Berkeley | $70,366 | $14,839 |
Other Programs at George Mason University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | $167,363 | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | $162,691 | $35,713 |
| Computer Engineering | $158,029 | — |
| Homeland Security | $154,158 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $148,171 | $57,000 |
| Homeland Security | $143,972 | $21,479 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $142,690 | $26,262 |
| Law | $135,661 | $65,077 |
| Systems Engineering | $135,210 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $134,691 | $38,186 |
Other Schools with Area Studies
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.