by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 88 U.S. colleges awarded 552 degrees and certificates in Native American Studies. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 37% of graduates. College Factual ranks 10 schools in its 2027 Best Native 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.
Studying Native American Studies explores American Indian/native American Studies. A Program That Focuses On The History, Sociology, Politics, Culture, And Economics Of One Or More Of The American Indian, Aleut, Inuit, Hawaiian And Other Native Peoples Of The Americas From Earliest Times Until The Present, With Particular Emphasis On U.s. And Canadian Populations And Their Problems But Including Reference To Caribbean And Latin American Native Peoples.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, native american studies draws strong interest, with 552 degrees awarded annually. 88 colleges award native american studies degrees, an average of 6 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 43.
By level, the 552 awards include 3 certificates, 148 associate degrees, 203 bachelor’s degrees, 188 master’s degrees and 9 doctorates.
Women earned 72% of native american studies degrees and certificates in the latest year (398 of 552). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are American Indian or Alaska Native (239) and multiracial (110), and international students earned 12.
College Factual ranks 10 schools in its 2027 Best Native American Studies Schools ranking, including 4 for bachelor’s degrees and 1 for master’s degrees. It also ranks native american studies schools within 2 states. In all, 88 colleges offer native american studies programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Native American Studies Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common native american studies credential is the bachelor’s degree: 203 of the 552 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to native 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 Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a native american studies degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 3 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 148 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 203 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 188 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 9 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to native 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 Native 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 Lecturer, African Studies Professor, Ethnology Professor and Assistant Professor.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to native american studies, at 718,152.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
Native 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 native american studies, with a median salary of $47,517.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $47,517 |
Native American Studies has 11 similar majors in the Ethnic, Culture & Gender Studies field, which together award 8,889 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.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Women’s Studies | 2,703 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other | 2,446 |
| African-American/Black Studies | 985 |
| Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies | 744 |
| Disability Studies | 597 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 577 |
| Deaf Studies | 480 |
| Asian-American Studies | 160 |
| Gay/Lesbian Studies | 76 |
| Folklore Studies | 67 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
