by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 8 U.S. colleges awarded 34 degrees and certificates in South Asian Studies. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 62% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $37,815 one year after completing, rising to $62,342 after four years.
Studying South Asian Studies involves the study of South Asian Studies. A Program That Focuses On The History, Society, Politics, Culture, And Economics Of One Or More Of The Peoples Of South Asia, Defined As Including Afghanistan, India, The Maldives, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, And Sri Lanka And Related Borderlands And Island Groups; And Including The Study Of Migration Patterns And Overseas Diasporas. Examples: [Indian/south Asian Studies].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, south asian studies is a popular field of study, with 34 degrees awarded annually. 8 colleges award south asian studies degrees, an average of 4 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 16.
By level, the 34 awards include 21 bachelor’s degrees, 11 master’s degrees and 2 doctorates.
Women earned 62% of south asian studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (21 of 34). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (10) and Asian (9), and international students earned 9.
The most common south asian studies credential is the bachelor’s degree: 21 of the 34 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to south asian 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 a south asian studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 21 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 11 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 2 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to south asian 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 South Asian 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, Faculty Lecturer, College Professor and Ethnology Professor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to south asian studies, at 718,152.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
South Asian 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 south asian studies, with a median salary of $47,517.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $47,517 |
South Asian Studies has 29 similar majors in the Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies field, which together award 6,069 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.