Bachelor's+2% vs national median2,374 grads tracked
Area Studies at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Ranked 11th of 67 bachelor's programs in Area Studies by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$41,933
middle 50%: $28,826 – $57,272
Median · 5 years out
$63,418
middle 50%: $44,459 – $89,578
Median · 10 years out
$92,267
middle 50%: $63,390 – $141,429
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 UNC-Chapel Hill earn $42k in their first year. Median salaries for this group reach $92k after a decade.
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
≈ $7,786 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Richmond
$65,164 · 5 yrs out
Furman University
$64,930 · 5 yrs out
University of Mary Washington
$64,402 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$63,874 · 5 yrs out
Connecticut College
$63,769 · 5 yrs out
University of South Carolina - Columbia
$63,610 · 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
University of Texas at Austin
$61,940 · 5 yrs out
University of Virginia
$61,903 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$214,723 · 5 yrs out
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$192,150 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$178,780 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$167,515 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$151,181 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$150,648 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$147,757 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$140,602 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$127,840 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$125,175 · 5 yrs out
Journalism (Bachelor's)
$124,373 · 5 yrs out
Library Science (Doctorate)
$121,393 · 5 yrs out