Urban Studies/Affairs: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 33 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Urban Studies/Affairs pays
Career outlook for Urban Studies/Affairs graduates
The job market for the occupations Urban Studies/Affairs graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | 1,333,700 | +4.5% | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| Urban and regional planners | 44,700 | +3.4% | $83,720 | Master's degree |
| Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other | 20,700 | +1.7% | $75,040 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Sociologists | 3,400 | +3.6% | $101,690 | Master's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Urban Studies/Affairs vs similar majors
How Urban Studies/Affairs stacks up against the closest fields in Social Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Urban Studies/Affairs Social Sciences · this major | Economics | International Relations and National Security Studies | Political Science and Government | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 64 C | 88 A | 74 B | 57 C |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $66,845 | $84,830 | $72,857 | $64,077 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $45,013 | $55,377 | $47,208 | $37,559 |
| ROI vs cost | +173% | +400% | +239% | +139% |
| Typical debt | $21,781 | $21,120 | $28,128 | $21,535 |
| Colleges offering it | 33 | 371 | 145 | 536 |
Urban Studies/Affairs earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Urban Studies/Affairs
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Associate's | $60,656 | — | +1,766% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Associate's | $105,067 | $15,000 | +1,752% | Strong return |
| 3 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Certificate | $86,148 | $28,918 | +1,731% | Strong return |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Associate's | $70,696 | $11,987 | +1,296% | Strong return |
| 5 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Certificate | $72,009 | $27,792 | +904% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Associate's | $71,507 | $15,499 | +767% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA | Associate's | $66,334 | $15,757 | +718% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Associate's | $66,334 | $15,757 | +529% | Strong return |
| 9 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA | Certificate | $88,403 | $36,073 | +465% | Strong return |
| 10 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | Associate's | $62,232 | $15,122 | +407% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Associate's | $72,949 | — | +387% | Strong return |
| 12 | Barnard College New York, NY | Associate's | $75,859 | $19,000 | +378% | Strong return |
| 13 | New York University New York, NY | Associate's | $80,330 | — | +377% | Strong return |
| 14 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI | Associate's | $60,709 | $25,205 | +353% | Strong return |
| 15 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, CT | Associate's | $57,591 | $20,750 | +330% | Strong return |
| 16 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Associate's | $57,943 | $18,625 | +313% | Strong return |
| 17 | Minnesota State University-Mankato Mankato, MN | Associate's | $59,836 | — | +288% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, CT | Associate's | $57,591 | $20,750 | +258% | Strong return |
| 19 | Rutgers University-Camden Camden, NJ | Associate's | $61,189 | $24,250 | +250% | Strong return |
| 20 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA | Certificate | $75,626 | — | +227% | Strong return |
| 21 | University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, CT | Associate's | $57,591 | $20,750 | +212% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, CT | Associate's | $57,591 | $20,750 | +206% | Strong return |
| 23 | Fordham University Bronx, NY | Associate's | $71,957 | — | +204% | Strong return |
| 24 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ | Associate's | $61,189 | $24,250 | +181% | Strong return |
| 25 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN | Associate's | $55,775 | $19,500 | +165% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.