by our College Data Analytics Team
[Ethnic Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying ethnic studies schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose ethnic studies graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Northeastern Illinois University, our #1 for ethnic studies graduate salaries in Illinois. Northeastern Illinois University is a public school located in the city of Chicago. Students who complete the ethnic studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $64,859.
Northwestern University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in ethnic studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Evanston, Northwestern University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the ethnic studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $39,012.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Illinois At Chicago earned it the #3 place for ethnic studies. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a public school located in the city of Chicago. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Chicago typically earn about $45,248 annually.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign one of the highest-paying schools for ethnic studies. Set in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a public institution. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign typically earn about $32,856 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in ethnic studies will find them at Depaul University, which ranked #5. Depaul University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Chicago. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from Depaul University typically earn about $18,029 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their ethnic studies graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.