Area Studies at DePaul University

DePaul's Area Studies program shows graduates earning $40,248 in their first year—substantially above both the Illinois median ($32,290) and national average ($34,211). While the sample size is small, the 60th percentile ranking among Illinois programs suggests relatively consistent outcomes compared to peer institutions in the state. The $24,500 debt load, though slightly above the state median, translates to a manageable 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe less than eight months of their first-year salary.

The 22% earnings growth between years one and four is encouraging, reaching nearly $50,000 by the fourth year. This trajectory matters because Area Studies can sometimes lead to careers with flatter wage curves. For context, U of I Urbana-Champaign's program shows significantly lower first-year earnings ($24,332), though that data point alone doesn't tell the whole story about long-term career paths.

The small sample size is worth noting—with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, one or two outliers could shift these numbers considerably. However, if your child is genuinely interested in Area Studies and values DePaul's Chicago location for networking and internship opportunities, the financial picture looks reasonable. The debt burden isn't crushing, and the earnings start above average for this field right out of the gate.