by our College Data Analytics TeamCommonwealth Studies (CIP 05.0121) is part of the Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies field of study, alongside 36 related programs, but no U.S. college reported commonwealth studies graduates to IPEDS in the latest year. Graduates earn a median $37,815 one year after completing, rising to $62,342 after four years.
Studying Commonwealth Studies explores Commonwealth Studies. A Program That Focuses On The History, Society, Politics, Culture, And Economics Of One Or More Of The Peoples And Countries Comprising Components Of The Historical British Empire And Modern British Commonwealth, Including Migration Patterns, Shared Sociocultural And Political Features And Problems, And Contemporary Relations.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings. Data as of: July 2026.
O*NET rates Reading Comprehension the most important skill for jobs related to commonwealth studies, at 4.2 out of 5. The key knowledge areas are Education and Training, English Language and Sociology and Anthropology. The most important abilities are Written Expression, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to commonwealth studies, at 60.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 60.5% |
| Master’s degree | 31.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 4.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
1 occupations are related to Commonwealth Studies, with an average median salary of $47,517; the strongest outlook belongs to Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary, at 6.5% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Ethnic Studies Teacher, Professor, Women’s Studies Professor and Associate Professor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to commonwealth studies, at 718,152.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
Commonwealth Studies graduates earn a median $37,815 one year after completing their program, $62,342 after four years and $64,509 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,815 |
| 4 years | $62,342 |
| 5 years | $64,509 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to commonwealth studies, with a median salary of $47,517.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $47,517 |
Commonwealth Studies has 30 similar majors in the Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies field, which together award 6,103 degrees a year; the largest are American/United States Studies/Civilization (1,217), Regional Studies (U.S., Canadian, Foreign) (785) and Asian Studies/Civilization (693). Browse all Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| American/United States Studies/Civilization | 1,217 |
| Regional Studies (U.S., Canadian, Foreign) | 785 |
| Asian Studies/Civilization | 693 |
| Area Studies, Other | 620 |
| East Asian Studies | 559 |
| Latin American Studies | 502 |
| Near and Middle Eastern Studies | 318 |
| African Studies | 206 |
| European Studies/Civilization | 177 |
| French Studies | 159 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.