by our College Data Analytics Team
[Ethnic Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The schools below stand out for the salaries their ethnic studies graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find where ethnic studies graduates earn the most.
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If you want to know which schools send ethnic studies graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Wheaton College Massachusetts tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying ethnic studies schools in Massachusetts. Located in the suburb of Norton, Wheaton College Massachusetts is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from Wheaton College Massachusetts typically earn about $63,918 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Massachusetts Amherst earned it the #2 place for ethnic studies. Set in the city of Amherst, University Of Massachusetts Amherst is a public institution. Ethnic Studies graduates of University Of Massachusetts Amherst earn a median of about $63,903 a year early in their careers.
Mount Holyoke College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying ethnic studies schools. Located in the suburb of South Hadley, Mount Holyoke College is a private not-for-profit institution. Ethnic Studies graduates of Mount Holyoke College earn a median of about $54,357 a year early in their careers.
Wellesley College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying ethnic studies schools. Wellesley College is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wellesley. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from Wellesley College typically earn about $60,668 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in ethnic studies will find them at University Of Massachusetts Boston, which ranked #5. University Of Massachusetts Boston is a public school located in the city of Boston. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from University Of Massachusetts Boston typically earn about $47,839 annually.
Amherst College earned the #6 position for ethnic studies graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Amherst, Amherst College is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from Amherst College typically earn about $40,120 annually.
Brandeis University placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for ethnic studies. Located in the city of Waltham, Brandeis University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career ethnic studies graduates from Brandeis University make a median of around $35,057 per year.
Smith College placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for ethnic studies. Set in the city of Northampton, Smith College is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from Smith College typically earn about $49,924 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries ethnic studies graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 8 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.