by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 5 U.S. colleges awarded 29 degrees and certificates in Pacific Area/Pacific Rim Studies. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 66% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $37,815 one year after completing, rising to $62,342 after four years.
A major in Pacific Area/Pacific Rim Studies covers Pacific Area/pacific Rim Studies. A Program That Focuses On The History, Society, Politics, Culture, And Economics Of One Or More Of The Peoples Of Australasia And The Pacific Ocean, Related Island Groups And Bordering Coastal Regions, And Including Pre- And Post-Colonial Migration Patterns.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., pacific area/pacific rim studies is a widely-pursued major, with 29 degrees awarded annually. 5 colleges award pacific area/pacific rim studies degrees, an average of 6 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 8.
By level, the 29 awards include 7 certificates, 19 bachelor’s degrees and 3 master’s degrees.
Women earned 72% of pacific area/pacific rim studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (21 of 29). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (10) and White (4), and international students earned 10.
The most common pacific area/pacific rim studies credential is the bachelor’s degree: 19 of the 29 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to pacific area/pacific rim studies call most for Reading Comprehension, Instructing and Speaking, 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 Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a pacific area/pacific rim studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 7 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 19 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 3 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to pacific area/pacific rim 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 Pacific Area/Pacific Rim 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 Humanities Professor, Ethnology Teacher, Hawaiian Studies Lecturer and Gender Studies Professor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to pacific area/pacific rim studies, at 718,152.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
Pacific Area/Pacific Rim 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 pacific area/pacific rim studies, with a median salary of $47,517.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $47,517 |
Pacific Area/Pacific Rim Studies has 29 similar majors in the Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies field, which together award 6,074 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.