### SUMMARY

 Choosing to study Urban Studies is a valuable choice and ordinarily a mandatory first step for pupils wanting to enter a career as a transportation planner, a materials planner, or an urban geography planner. In fact, urban studies is an uncommon degree ranking as the 207th most popular major. Last year, there were 1,102 urban studies graduates. In-state tuition for urban studies at private colleges is, on average, 4.7 times more pricey than their public counterparts.

 With only 102 schools offering this degree there might be limited options as to the institutions you can choose from. If you're looking to surround yourself with other urban studies majors, consider looking at schools in California which have more undergrads admitted to urban studies than any other state. More generally, the best region to major in urban studies is in the Far West region with [University of California-Berkeley](/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley), [University of California-Irvine](/colleges/university-of-california-irvine), and [University of Washington-Tacoma Campus](/colleges/university-of-washington-tacoma-campus) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick of the top conference to major in urban studies is the Ivy League with [Barnard College](/colleges/barnard-college), [University of Pennsylvania](/colleges/university-of-pennsylvania), and [Brown University](/colleges/brown-university) representing the conference. On that topic, our belief is that the best university for urban studies is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university), and here you can find our comprehensive list for the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The 'best' school is not necessarily the 'best' school for every student. There might be lots of factors to weigh when deciding on institution. Features like campus amenities, transportation services, and food would definitely refashion your thoughts on which school to attend. At Authority, we've evaluated the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which urban studies university has the top campus, the winner is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university). If, for example, you are very interested in which university has the top campus, we have a whole list [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through government databases, student reviews, professor reviews, and more to compare every major in an unbiased and informative way. You can explore our well researched list for the universities with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbsphere and, from that list, our pick for the university with the best student life for urban studies is [Barnard College](/colleges/barnard-college). Curious why? Keep scrolling to find out more about Authority's top recommendations. Some of our picks might surprise you.

 If cost is a significant factor in your choice of where you attend university, you might be cautious about [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspis the most expensive school for urban studies, at least regarding out of state enrollment. We do have a page for the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspcolleges that might put the expense of [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspinto perspective. For more context, you may want to know that urban studies is the 174th most expensive degree in the nation, with an average bill of $32,100. On a broader scale, the most expensive state for urban studies nationally is Rhode Island with expenses at the primary college, Brown University, of $57,112. Even more broadly, the most expensive region for urban studies is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Trinity College](/colleges/trinity-college) with a cost of $56,380, [University of Connecticut](/colleges/university-of-connecticut) with a cost of $36,466, and [Brown University](/colleges/brown-university) with a cost of $57,112.

 Our cheapest region for urban studies is the Southeast region which is represented by [College of Charleston](/colleges/college-of-charleston) with a cost of $70, [Tennessee State University](/colleges/tennessee-state-university) with a cost of $20,574, and [Virginia Commonwealth University](/colleges/virginia-commonwealth-university) with a cost of $32,825. In better news, the most affordable school for urban studies is [CUNY Hunter College](/colleges/cuny-hunter-college). Authority.org's entire list of the most affordable universities can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state students can expect to pay around $11,500 for a degree in urban studies. The cost balloons dramatically to an average of $27,200 for the out-of-state public-school student. Our choice for the school representing the best value for urban studies: [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). Here you can see our comprehensive list for the colleges we see as being the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspoverall. Bear in mind, this section is based on the assumption that you are an out-of-state student. The value proposition changes when it comes to in-state tuition, but as we do not know what state(s) you might qualify for in-state tuition, we are approaching this discussion through out-of-state tuition costs.

 Earnings for urban studies majors can vary, but within two years finishing the degree graduates will typically earn around $46,900. There is a lot of variation in earnings potential; highest paid earners can experience pay up to $85,100. Right out of college, the lowest end jobs within the urban studies field make $26,100, which isn't that bad. The top earning graduates from urban studies have come from [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university)&nbspand if you are looking for colleges with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), Authority has that too.

 The general diversity of urban studies stands high, coming within the 83rd percentile of majors nationally. The school with the most composite diversity for urban studies is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspand here you can find our comprehensive list for the colleges which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of the Urban Studies major only ranks within the 60th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, ranking in the 78th percentile. White students make up the largest proportion at 53% of students studying urban studies. Additionally, 51% of scholars pursuing an urban studies major are men.

 The median rating of urban studies professors is 4 stars, a rating that is exactly the average across all majors; this is a fine. If you are searching for the most popular urban studies instructor in the nation, look no further than Robert Cacciatore from [CUNY Hunter College](/colleges/cuny-hunter-college). This might come as a shock, but the best rated instructors for urban studies from student rankings come from [CUNY Queens College](/colleges/cuny-queens-college). If we including information other than basic rankings we find that the college possessing the overall best instructors for urban studies is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). You will find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as some of the finest examples of instructors in the country.

 Finally, the hardest college to get into for urban studies is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). While we are unsure why you would be interested, we have a comprehensive page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, here at Authority we do hope you understand that considering higher education from examples mainly shaped by superlatives could cause issues. We hope you look at some of our other pages on individual universities and read a few of our insightful background pages on useful things to think about as you continue your university search.



 ### POPULARITY

 Urban studies is the 207th most popular degree in America, with 1,102 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #208 [Family and Community Services](/rankings/best-colleges-for-family-and-community-services), and narrowly lost to #206 [Social Psychology](/rankings/best-colleges-for-social-psychology).

 The degree is offered at a total of 102 colleges across the nation, and is the 163rd most widely offered degree. It is only offered at 18% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America.

 It is also worth noting that 60% of colleges offering urban studies are public making it a quite accessible field.

 The far west produces the most urban studies graduates, largely led by [University of California-Berkeley](/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley), while it’s the Ivy League that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [University of California-Berkeley](/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley) and [University of California-Irvine](/colleges/university-of-california-irvine).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more urban studies graduates than [University of Delaware](/colleges/university-of-delaware), which graduated 54 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study urban studies). More students studied urban studies as a percentage of total students at [Barnard College](/colleges/barnard-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Urban studies is the 174th most expensive major in the nation, with a median cost of $32,136 for the top 50 programs (just ahead of #175, [Theatre Design and Technology](rankings/best-colleges-for-theatre-design-and-technology), with a median cost of $32,025).

 New England has the most expensive schools with first-rate urban studies programs predominantly led by [Trinity College](/colleges/trinity-college) with an annual cost of $56,380. Rhode Island is the most expensive state for urban studies led by [Brown University](/colleges/brown-university).

 Public schools with solid programs typically charge 78.59% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 49.33% less than your average private school. So make sure to look into public shools in your state sooner rather than later.

 The most expensive top 25 college for urban studies is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york), which is the 3rd most expensive college in the nation. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [College of Charleston](/colleges/college-of-charleston). It costs just $70 per year, and it's its urban studies program is ranked #39. If you’re looking for a higher ranked, but still affordable school, [CUNY Hunter College](/colleges/cuny-hunter-college)  is probably for you, ranked #23 with an in-state cost of just $6,930. Another more affordable choice would be #17, [CUNY Queens College](/colleges/cuny-queens-college) in Queens County, NY with a cost of $6,930 for in-state students and $14,880 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Starting college is an important investment for most undergraduates. It's critical to be assured you get a nice return on your investment. We hope the following earnings and career info help you make an intelligent decision when selecting your focus.

 The average Urban Studies major brings home a starting salary of $37,997 per annum (close to national median 48th percentile). After some experience in their professional lives, they commonly take in something between $26,083 and $85,058, but average close to $46,946. Just so you know, that's 22% higher than average.

 The most common job for an Urban Studies graduate is Analyst, which usually earn roughly $54,000; next are Research And Development Internship and Data Analyst, which typically earn approximately $24,000 and $51,000 respectively.

 The most well paid region for Urban Studies graduates is The Mid East. WA has the highest earning Urban Studies graduates of any state. The best paid conference for Urban Studies graduates is Ivy League.



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Urban Studies: Median Professor Rating: 4 / 5, which is below average.

 Professors oftentimes play a giant role in shaping your college experience, no matter what you major in. An amazing professor can help a student find their passion and even make a difficult subject seem fun. On the other hand, an ineffective professor can cause frustration or even worse... fail you!

 Urban Studies professors have a median student rating of 4 out of 5, putting these professors in the top 57th percentile in America grounded in overall professor effectivness. Suprisingly, this major is exactly the median for professor rating, which, in our opinion, is remarkably average! Professors of Urban Studies barely surpassed those from ["Hispanic-American Studies"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-hispanic-american-studies), whereas ["Homeland Security"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-homeland-security)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Urban Studies.

 Now for some statistics about Urban Studies professors. Colleges located in large citys tend to have the best Urban Studies professors. The Sun Belt Conference has the highest rated Urban Studies professors. The Mid East region has the highest rated Urban Studies professors. Public colleges tend to have higher rated Urban Studies professors than private universities. Finally, Georgia has the highest rated Urban Studies professors in America.

 Robert Cacciatore, professor at [CUNY Hunter College](/colleges/cuny-hunter-college)&nbspin New York, NY is the most popular Urban Studies professor in the United States. Stefania Agliano, professor at [University of Connecticut](/colleges/university-of-connecticut)&nbspin Storrs, CT is the highest rated Urban Studies professor in the nation, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 See which institutions have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College can be a fabulously influential time of one's life; it's a chance for individual growth and expansion. Scholars begin to discover who they are and build the essential skills to become a flourishing member of society. But growth goes beyond a classroom - the late nights discussing Robert Heinlein with a classmate, the personal lesson received from an old professor, the exposure to a different frame of mind. Therefore, finding a diverse college tremendously enriches what you gain from your time spent at college.

 Urban Studies is a more ethnically diverse focus than average\*. 53% of the nation's Urban Studies majors are white students, followed by latino students (18%), students of other races\*\*(12%), and asian students (9%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [University of California-San Diego](/colleges/university-of-california-san-diego)&nbspin La Jolla, CA.

 Second, Urban Studies is pretty diverse with respect to sex, with more or less 1/2 of students majoring in Urban Studies identifying as women. [Rutgers University-Camden](/colleges/rutgers-university-camden) in Camden, NJ has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another substantial type of diversity is income diversity. Urban Studies is somewhere around the median for socioeconomic diversity (40th percentile). 28% of its majors come from homes who take home under $30,000 a year, 16% are from households who take home between $30,000 and $48,000 a year, and 26% grew up in very high income homes. [College of Charleston](/colleges/college-of-charleston) is the most economically diverse school in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall CA is the most diverse state for Urban Studies. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the University Athletic Association is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 9%
* Black: 7%
* Latino: 18%
* White: 53%
* Other: 12%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 51%
* Female: 49%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 28%
* 30k - 48k: 16%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 14%
* Over 110k: 26%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 70%
* Out of State: 22%
* International: 8%


2023 Urban Studies Salary

There are about 3,169 students enrolled in Urban Studies in the USA.

SALARY