Area Studies at Smith College
Northampton, MA · Bachelor's Degree · about 24 graduates a year
Smith College graduates in area studies earn 10% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 37% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Smith College Compares for Area Studies
All 70 colleges reporting area studies earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | $96,976 | $92,301 | #1 | $43,831 |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | $96,884 | $92,213 | #2 | $41,479 |
| 3 | Miami University-Oxford Oxford, OH | $79,449 | $84,784 | #3 | $50,637 |
| 4 | Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME | $75,966 | $80,732 | #5 | $45,315 |
| 5 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | $75,832 | $81,354 | #4 | $35,304 |
| 6 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | $75,563 | $71,920 | #8 | $40,811 |
| 7 | University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO | $75,230 | $80,662 | #6 | $44,096 |
| 8 | Emory University Atlanta, GA | $75,205 | $77,852 | #7 | $33,549 |
| 9 | Trinity College Hartford, CT | $73,229 | $65,929 | #13 | — |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $70,366 | $64,028 | #17 | $50,728 |
| … | |||||
| 46 | Utah State University Logan, UT | $53,200 | $50,421 | #45 | $31,894 |
| 47 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | $53,077 | $48,297 | #48 | $26,793 |
| 48 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $51,755 | $47,094 | #51 | $23,819 |
| 49 | Smith College Northampton, MA | $51,131 | $45,026 | #57 | $29,878 |
| 50 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | $50,739 | $46,169 | #53 | $29,316 |
| 51 | University at Albany Albany, NY | $50,572 | $48,134 | #49 | $32,808 |
| 52 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | $50,071 | $45,561 | #54 | $28,591 |
Other Majors at Smith College by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | $88,067 | $71,559 | #115 of 368 |
| Engineering | $86,262 | $53,571 | #37 of 57 |
| Statistics | — | $69,250 | — |
| Political Science and Government | $68,916 | $42,327 | #140 of 565 |
| Computer Science | — | $66,981 | — |
| Biology | $63,133 | $32,747 | #239 of 841 |
| Sociology | $58,664 | $35,252 | #96 of 462 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $58,304 | $35,407 | #91 of 225 |
| English Language and Literature | $52,938 | $25,023 | #176 of 576 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $51,267 | $43,717 | #57 of 82 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $48,183 | $21,648 | #220 of 265 |
| History | $46,960 | $26,131 | #320 of 459 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $46,136 | $19,105 | #79 of 103 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $43,354 | $20,171 | #162 of 423 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | — | $36,727 | — |
| Education | — | $33,737 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Smith College area studies graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $29,878 one year after graduating and $51,131 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Smith College rank for area studies?
Among 70 colleges reporting earnings for area studies graduates, Smith College ranks #49 by median pay four years after graduation, and #57 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is area studies at Smith College worth it?
Its graduates earn 10% less than the national median for area studies ($56,625), and the median federal debt at graduation is $19,000.
← All data for Smith College · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.