by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 655 U.S. colleges awarded 15,591 degrees and certificates in Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 55% of graduates. College Factual ranks 200 schools in its 2027 Best Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $34,569 one year after completing, rising to $57,398 after four years.
A major in Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies covers Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, And Group Studies. Instructional Programs That Focus On The Defined Areas, Regions, And Countries Of The World; Defined Minority Groups Within And Across Societies; And Issues Relevant To Collective Gender And Group Experience.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies is a popular field of study, with 15,591 degrees awarded annually. 655 colleges award area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees, an average of 24 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,277.
By level, the 15,591 awards include 172 certificates, 917 associate degrees, 8,547 bachelor’s degrees, 5,590 master’s degrees and 336 doctorates.
Women earned 73% of area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (11,439 of 15,591). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (6,430) and Hispanic or Latino (3,450), and international students earned 1,121.
College Factual ranks 200 schools in its 2027 Best Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools ranking, including 138 for bachelor’s degrees, 36 for master’s degrees and 5 for doctorates. It also ranks area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools within 36 states. In all, 655 colleges offer area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies credential is the bachelor’s degree: 8,547 of the 15,591 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies call most for Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Instructing, and for knowledge of Education and Training, English Language and Sociology and Anthropology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 172 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 917 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 8,547 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 5,590 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 336 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, at 59.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 59.8% |
| Master’s degree | 30.9% |
| Post-doctoral training | 3.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies, with an average median salary of $50,072; the strongest outlook belongs to Interpreters and Translators, at 12.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Faculty Lecturer, Latin American Studies Professor, Lecturer and Ethnic Origins Teacher.
The occupation related to area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies with the most projected jobs is Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary, at 718,152.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates earn a median $34,569 one year after completing their program, $57,398 after four years and $58,540 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $34,569 |
| 4 years | $57,398 |
| 5 years | $58,540 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, with a median salary of $52,627.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $47,517 |
Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies includes 3 concentrations that together award 15,591 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies (9,441), Area Studies (6,103) and Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies, Other (47). Browse the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 9,441 |
| Area Studies | 6,103 |
| Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies, Other | 47 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
