Bright outlook
Management
Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Coordination
- Critical Thinking
Urban Studies/Affairs
CIP45.12
102 colleges offer Urban Studies/Affairs. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 102
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $62,990
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $17,899
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 6
- Associate's
- 3
- Bachelor's
- 102
- Master's
- 39
- Doctoral
- 14
- First professional
- 1
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 23
What it covers
About Urban Studies/Affairs
A program that focuses on the application of social science principles to the study of urban institutions and the forces influencing urban social and political life. Includes instruction in urban theory, the development and evolution of urban areas, urban sociology, principles of urban and social planning, and the politics and economics of urban government and services.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 45.12.
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 6 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Associate's | 3 | $46,0514 yrs after · 1 college | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 102 | $62,9904 yrs after · 24 colleges | $17,89914 colleges |
| Master's | 39 | $86,4464 yrs after · 6 colleges | $37,0212 colleges |
| Doctoral | 14 | Not reported | Not reported |
| First professional | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 23 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Urban Studies/Affairs graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 38 graduates
$81,123
debt not reported
- 2
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 31 graduates
$79,807
debt $13,192
- 3
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · Public · 26 graduates
$76,125
debt not reported
- 4
Queens, NY · Public · 23 graduates
$74,979
debt not reported
- 5
Providence, RI · Private nonprofit · 26 graduates
$73,905
debt not reported
- 6
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit · 20 graduates
$73,190
debt not reported
- 7
California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA · Public · 29 graduates
$72,148
debt not reported
- 8
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · Public · 54 graduates
$71,380
debt $8,351
- 9
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA · Public · 12 graduates
$70,207
debt not reported
- 10
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · Public · 71 graduates
$63,819
debt $12,750
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Urban Studies/Affairs by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Management
Compliance Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Management
Loss Prevention Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Bright outlook
Management
Managers, All Other
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook
Management
Regulatory Affairs Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Management
Wind Energy Development Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Bright outlook
Management
Wind Energy Operations Managers
- Median pay
- $141,900
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Science
Sociologists
- Median pay
- $106,030
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Master's degree
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
More in Social Sciences
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this areaQuestions about Urban Studies/Affairs
How many colleges offer Urban Studies/Affairs?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Urban Studies/Affairs at these degree levels: certificate (6 colleges), associate's (3 colleges), bachelor's (102 colleges), master's (39 colleges), doctoral (14 colleges), first professional (1 college), graduate/professional certificate (23 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Urban Studies/Affairs graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Urban Studies/Affairs earn $62,990 a year four years after finishing, across 24 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Urban Studies/Affairs graduates earn the most?
New York University reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Urban Studies/Affairs: $81,123 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.