Bachelor's-12% vs national median277 grads tracked
Area Studies at Saint Olaf College
Ranked 32nd of 67 bachelor's programs in Area Studies by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$38,919
middle 50%: $25,875 – $53,609
Median · 5 years out
$54,534
middle 50%: $40,636 – $73,528
Median · 10 years out
$74,918
middle 50%: $56,620 – $105,643
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 earn a median of $39k in their first year. By year ten, median salary is $75k.
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
7.5 yrs
≈ $8,852 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Utah
$56,069 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts at Boston
$56,029 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Stony Brook
$55,935 · 5 yrs out
University of Arizona (The)
$55,137 · 5 yrs out
Macalester College
$54,898 · 5 yrs out
Dominican University
$54,857 · 5 yrs out
DePaul University
$54,404 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Madison
$54,349 · 5 yrs out
SUNY Old Westbury
$53,647 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
$53,343 · 5 yrs out
University of Oregon
$53,219 · 5 yrs out
University of Hawaii at Manoa
$53,081 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Saint Olaf College
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$120,035 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$120,035 · 5 yrs out
Economics (Bachelor's)
$85,545 · 5 yrs out
Physics (Bachelor's)
$78,948 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Bachelor's)
$78,045 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$78,045 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Bachelor's)
$76,166 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's)
$76,166 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Bachelor's)
$72,148 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Bachelor's)
$68,702 · 5 yrs out
Chemistry (Bachelor's)
$67,022 · 5 yrs out
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's)
$65,735 · 5 yrs out