by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 1 U.S. colleges awarded 2 degrees and certificates in Institutional Research. Graduates earn a median $62,037 one year after completing, rising to $72,794 after four years.
A degree in Institutional Research involves the study of A Program Of Study That Prepares An Individual To Be An Institutional Researcher At A Postsecondary Educational Institution. Includes Instruction In Data Analysis, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Data Mining, Higher Education Administration And Organization, Research Methods, And Statistics.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., institutional research is a widely-pursued major, with 2 degrees awarded annually. 1 colleges award institutional research degrees, an average of 2 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 2.
All 2 of the awards are master’s degrees, the only level colleges reported.
Women earned 100% of institutional research degrees and certificates in the latest year (2 of 2).
O*NET rates Reading Comprehension the most important skill for jobs related to institutional research, at 4.1 out of 5. The key knowledge areas are English Language, Mathematics and Computers and Electronics. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an institutional research degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to institutional research, at 40.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 40.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 38.5% |
| Some college courses | 6.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 5.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.3% |
| First professional degree | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Institutional Research, with an average median salary of $102,879; the strongest outlook belongs to Management Analysts, at 12.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Survey Analyst, Program Analyst, Performance Management Analyst and Management Scientist.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to institutional research, at 484,759.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Management Analysts | 484,759 | 12.6% |
| Statisticians | 307,132 | 6.6% |
| Biostatisticians | 76,966 | 7.4% |
| Survey Researchers | 76,556 | 11.1% |
Institutional Research graduates earn a median $62,037 one year after completing their program, $72,794 after four years and $64,541 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $62,037 |
| 4 years | $72,794 |
| 5 years | $64,541 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to institutional research is Statisticians, with a median salary of $130,349.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Statisticians | $130,349 |
| Biostatisticians | $121,594 |
| Survey Researchers | $108,538 |
| Management Analysts | $51,034 |
Institutional Research has 5 similar majors in the Education field, which together award 5,806 degrees a year; the largest are Learning Sciences (4,040), Educational Evaluation and Research (749) and Educational Statistics and Research Methods (447). Browse all Education majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Learning Sciences | 4,040 |
| Educational Evaluation and Research | 749 |
| Educational Statistics and Research Methods | 447 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, Other | 308 |
| Educational Assessment, Testing, and Measurement | 262 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.