Bachelor's+3% vs national median586 grads tracked
Area Studies at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Ranked 8th of 67 bachelor's programs in Area Studies by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$39,884
middle 50%: $26,983 – $52,498
Median · 5 years out
$63,874
middle 50%: $45,895 – $84,400
Median · 10 years out
$90,330
middle 50%: $64,033 – $128,734
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Area Studies (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Area Studies graduates from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn $39.9k in their first year. Median salaries reach $90.3k by the tenth year.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
6.7 yrs
≈ $7,960 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Texas at Dallas
$80,540 · 5 yrs out
Binghamton University
$66,866 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Columbia
$65,363 · 5 yrs out
University of Richmond
$65,164 · 5 yrs out
Furman University
$64,930 · 5 yrs out
University of Mary Washington
$64,402 · 5 yrs out
Connecticut College
$63,769 · 5 yrs out
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$63,418 · 5 yrs out
Carleton College
$62,643 · 5 yrs out
University of Michigan
$62,265 · 5 yrs out
College of William & Mary
$62,093 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$61,978 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$226,077 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$206,093 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$177,207 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$176,681 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$173,815 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$164,239 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$159,201 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$152,834 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$151,479 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$126,011 · 5 yrs out
Legal Professions and Studies (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out
Law (Doctorate)
$125,106 · 5 yrs out