by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 18 U.S. colleges awarded 160 degrees and certificates in Asian-American Studies. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 59% of graduates. College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Asian-American Studies Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $32,619 one year after completing, rising to $54,558 after four years.
A degree in Asian-American Studies covers Asian-American Studies. A Program That Focuses On The History, Sociology, Politics, Culture, And Economics Of Asian Population Groups Who Have Immigrated To The United States And Canada, Or Sought Refugee Asylum, From The Colonial Period To The Present, And Including Chinese-Americans, Japanese-Americans, Korean-Americans, Vietnamese-Americans, Cambodian-Americans, And Others.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, asian-american studies is a widely-pursued major, with 160 degrees awarded annually. 18 colleges award asian-american studies degrees, an average of 9 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 46.
By level, the 160 awards include 95 bachelor’s degrees and 65 master’s degrees.
Women earned 74% of asian-american studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (118 of 160). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are Asian (117) and multiracial (25), and international students earned 2.
College Factual ranks 4 schools in its 2027 Best Asian-American Studies Schools ranking, including 1 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks asian-american studies schools within 1 state. In all, 18 colleges offer asian-american studies programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Asian-American Studies Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common asian-american studies credential is the bachelor’s degree: 95 of the 160 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to asian-american 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 Written Expression, Oral Expression and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an asian-american studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 95 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 65 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to asian-american 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 Asian-American 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 University Faculty Member, Gender Studies Lecturer, Ethnology Professor and College Faculty Member.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to asian-american studies, at 718,152.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
Asian-American Studies graduates earn a median $32,619 one year after completing their program, $54,558 after four years and $53,148 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $32,619 |
| 4 years | $54,558 |
| 5 years | $53,148 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to asian-american studies, with a median salary of $47,517.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $47,517 |
Asian-American Studies has 11 similar majors in the Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies field, which together award 9,281 degrees a year; the largest are Women’s Studies (2,703), Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other (2,446) and African-American/Black Studies (985). Browse all Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies majors or the full list of college majors.
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