Urban Studies/Affairs
CIP Code: 45.1201A urban studies/affairs degree prepares graduates for careers in Managers, all other, Sociologists, Urban and regional planners and more. 93 colleges and universities offer this program.
Urban Studies/Affairs Salary by College
Nationally, bachelor’s graduates in this field earn a median $62,532 four years after graduating (middle half: $43,623–$81,699). Where you study it matters: across 30 colleges with reported results, pay ranges from $48,387 to $81,123.
Sort by:
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | 1 yr after | Median debt | Outcome Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University New York, NY | $81,123 | $77,212 | — | — | A+ |
| 2 | Barnard College New York, NY | $79,807 | $75,960 | $40,294 | $19,000 | A+ |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $76,125 | $69,269 | $58,171 | $15,000 | A+ |
| 4 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | $74,979 | $71,364 | $42,995 | — | B |
| 5 | Brown University Providence, RI | $73,905 | $72,789 | $48,731 | $14,000 | A+ |
| 6 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | $73,190 | $74,435 | — | — | A+ |
| 7 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | $72,148 | $65,650 | $46,826 | $11,987 | C |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | $71,380 | $64,951 | $37,074 | $15,499 | A+ |
| 9 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | $70,207 | $63,884 | $50,008 | $18,625 | B |
| 10 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | $68,928 | $65,328 | — | — | B+ |
| 11 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | $63,819 | $58,071 | $34,385 | $15,122 | A |
| 13 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA | $63,174 | $58,107 | $47,585 | $15,757 | B+ |
| 12 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | $63,174 | $58,107 | $47,585 | $15,757 | A |
| 14 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | $62,807 | $59,994 | $27,966 | $19,500 | A |
| 15 | Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY | $59,930 | $57,041 | $39,410 | — | A |
| 17 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ | $59,261 | $52,012 | $44,263 | $24,250 | A |
| 16 | Rutgers University-Camden Camden, NJ | $59,261 | $52,012 | $44,263 | $24,250 | B+ |
| 18 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI | $58,915 | $62,119 | $43,811 | $25,205 | C+ |
| 19 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA | $58,084 | $52,891 | $33,626 | $22,250 | C |
| 20 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV | $58,010 | $60,208 | $46,712 | $26,000 | C+ |
| 25 | University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, CT | $57,342 | $51,626 | $34,074 | $20,750 | B+ |
| 24 | University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, CT | $57,342 | $51,626 | $34,074 | $20,750 | B+ |
| 23 | University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, CT | $57,342 | $51,626 | $34,074 | $20,750 | B+ |
| 22 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, CT | $57,342 | $51,626 | $34,074 | $20,750 | B+ |
| 21 | University of Connecticut Storrs, CT | $57,342 | $51,626 | $34,074 | $20,750 | A |
| 26 | University at Albany Albany, NY | $57,150 | $54,395 | — | — | B+ |
| 27 | Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH | $53,582 | $57,180 | $38,929 | $25,000 | C |
| 28 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA | $51,378 | $52,252 | $36,099 | — | A |
| 29 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL | $50,202 | $49,323 | — | $18,000 | B+ |
| 30 | Worcester State University Worcester, MA | $48,387 | $42,610 | — | — | C |
Bachelor’s degrees. Wage-adjusted = pay ÷ √(state wage index). Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data.
What Can You Do With a Urban Studies/Affairs Degree?
Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:
Best Colleges for Urban Studies/Affairs
Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in urban studies/affairs.
| # | College | Location | Degrees Awarded | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Irvine | Irvine, CA | 71 | A |
| 2 | University of California-San Diego | La Jolla, CA | 54 | A |
| 3 | New York University | New York, NY | 38 | A |
| 4 | Brown University | Providence, RI | 26 | A |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 26 | A |
| 6 | CUNY Hunter College | New York, NY | 101 | B+ |
| 7 | CUNY Queens College | Queens, NY | 37 | B+ |
| 8 | Barnard College | New York, NY | 31 | B+ |
| 9 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, VA | 26 | B+ |
| 10 | Portland State University | Portland, OR | 37 | B |
| 11 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | Tacoma, WA | 37 | B |
| 12 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT | 34 | B |
| 13 | California State University-Northridge | Northridge, CA | 29 | B |
| 14 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA | 55 | C+ |
| 15 | Cleveland State University | Cleveland, OH | 28 | C+ |
Largest Urban Studies/Affairs Programs
Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most urban studies/affairs graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.
| # | College | Location | Degrees Awarded | Repit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Hunter College | New York, NY | 101 | B+ |
| 2 | University of California-Irvine | Irvine, CA | 71 | A |
| 3 | Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA | 55 | C+ |
| 4 | University of California-San Diego | La Jolla, CA | 54 | A |
| 5 | New York University | New York, NY | 38 | A |
| 6 | CUNY Queens College | Queens, NY | 37 | B+ |
| 7 | Portland State University | Portland, OR | 37 | B |
| 8 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | Tacoma, WA | 37 | B |
| 9 | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT | 34 | B |
| 10 | Barnard College | New York, NY | 31 | B+ |
| 11 | California State University-Northridge | Northridge, CA | 29 | B |
| 12 | Cleveland State University | Cleveland, OH | 28 | C+ |
| 13 | University of California-Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 26 | A |
| 14 | Brown University | Providence, RI | 26 | A |
| 15 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg, VA | 26 | B+ |
About Urban Studies/Affairs
Urban Studies/Affairs is a degree program offered at 93 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 1,343 students graduate with this degree.
Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as managers, all other, sociologists, urban and regional planners, social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other.