Area Studies graduates from Harvard University earn $115,583 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Area Studies at Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Area Studies at Harvard University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Harvard University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Area Studies at the master'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 55 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Harvard University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $115,583 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 $66,524 across all institutions offering Area Studies, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Harvard University, the mean median-earnings figure is $110,967, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | $116,125 | — |
| Harvard University (this school) | $115,583 | — |
| Georgetown University | $91,661 | $76,142 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $88,197 | $48,911 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $81,697 | $50,000 |
| George Washington University | $74,265 | — |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $71,833 | — |
| New York University | $71,404 | $34,157 |
| University of Chicago | $70,631 | $62,295 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $64,228 | — |
Other Programs at Harvard University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Law | $291,490 | $93,235 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $272,009 | $41,000 |
| Statistics | $230,876 | — |
| Computer Engineering | $228,519 | — |
| Computer Science | $203,169 | — |
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | $198,921 | — |
| Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | $198,324 | $278,414 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $189,806 | — |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $185,905 | — |
| Public Administration | $177,149 | $70,763 |
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.