Best Schools for Urban Studies/Affairs in 2026
25 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score · Updated 2026
These are the top schools offering Urban Studies/Affairs, ranked by DegreeWorth Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Urban Studies/Affairs graduate earns $40,999/yr across 25 schools.
Programs Ranked
25
Avg Earnings
$40,999/yr
Avg DW Score
57/100
AI Risk
High
45% task exposure
All Urban Studies/Affairs Programs Ranked
Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.
| # | Program | DW Score | Earnings | AI Risk | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA |
72
66–75 |
$58,171/yr | High | 16.7x |
| 2 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA |
72
68–74 |
$46,826/yr | High | 23.9x |
| 3 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA |
73
69–73 |
$50,008/yr | High | 18.5x |
| 4 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
CUNY Queens College · Queens, NY |
69
64–70 |
$42,995/yr | High | 19.1x |
| 5 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA |
65
62–67 |
$47,585/yr | High | 12.1x |
| 6 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus · Tacoma, WA |
65
62–67 |
$47,585/yr | High | 11.9x |
| 7 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Nevada-Las Vegas · Las Vegas, NV |
68
65–67 |
$46,712/yr | High | 11.8x |
| 8 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Wayne State University · Detroit, MI |
60
57–62 |
$43,811/yr | High | 9.6x |
| 9 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Portland State University · Portland, OR |
64
62–63 |
$45,870/yr | High | 9.2x |
| 10 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Rutgers University-Camden · Camden, NJ |
58
55–60 |
$44,263/yr | High | 8.0x |
| 11 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ |
58
55–60 |
$44,263/yr | High | 7.9x |
| 12 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA |
55
49–61 |
$37,074/yr | High | 10.7x |
| 13 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Cleveland State University · Cleveland, OH |
56
54–57 |
$38,929/yr | High | 8.7x |
| 14 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA |
52
47–57 |
$34,385/yr | High | 9.9x |
| 15 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Brown University · Providence, RI |
51
47–52 |
$48,731/yr | High | 0.8x |
| 16 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus · Waterbury, CT |
49
45–52 |
$34,074/yr | High | 7.2x |
| 17 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Connecticut-Avery Point · Groton, CT |
49
45–52 |
$34,074/yr | High | 7.2x |
| 18 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Connecticut-Stamford · Stamford, CT |
49
45–52 |
$34,074/yr | High | 7.2x |
| 19 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus · Hartford, CT |
49
45–52 |
$34,074/yr | High | 7.2x |
| 20 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT |
48
44–51 |
$34,074/yr | High | 6.1x |
| 21 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, VA |
49
45–51 |
$33,626/yr | High | 6.9x |
| 22 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Barnard College · New York, NY |
47
42–50 |
$40,294/yr | High | 1.9x |
| 23 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA |
49
45–50 |
$36,099/yr | High | 3.2x |
| 24 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN |
45
39–49 |
$27,966/yr | High | 7.5x |
| 25 |
Urban Studies/Affairs
Vassar College · Poughkeepsie, NY |
45
41–47 |
$39,410/yr | High | 0.5x |
Methodology
Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school for Urban Studies/Affairs?
Based on our DegreeWorth Score, University of California-Berkeley ranks #1 for Urban Studies/Affairs with a score of 72/100 and graduate earnings of $58,171/yr.
How much do Urban Studies/Affairs graduates earn?
Across 25 schools, Urban Studies/Affairs graduates earn an average of $40,999/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $58,171/yr.
Is Urban Studies/Affairs a good major for AI resistance?
Urban Studies/Affairs has an average AI task exposure of 45%, rated "High". This field has moderate AI exposure — some career paths are more resilient than others.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2025.