by our College Data Analytics Team
[Ethnic Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/ethnic-studies/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the early-career earnings of their ethnic studies graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send ethnic studies graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Arizona State University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid ethnic studies graduates in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a public institution. Ethnic Studies graduates of Arizona State University earn a median of about $51,370 a year early in their careers.
Arizona State University Skysong came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying ethnic studies schools. Set in the city of Scottsdale, Arizona State University Skysong is a public institution. Students who complete the ethnic studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $51,370.
Strong graduate earnings at The University Of Texas At Austin earned it the #3 place for ethnic studies. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a public institution. Students who complete the ethnic studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $55,202.
A rank of #4 makes University Of New Mexico Main Campus one of the highest-paying schools for ethnic studies. Located in the city of Albuquerque, University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the ethnic studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $47,937.
Students chasing top earnings in ethnic studies will find them at University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a public institution. Early-career ethnic studies graduates from University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus make a median of around $39,531 per year.
Southeastern Oklahoma State University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying ethnic studies schools. Set in the town of Durant, Southeastern Oklahoma State University is a public institution. Early-career ethnic studies graduates from Southeastern Oklahoma State University make a median of around $62,250 per year.
University Of Arizona ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying ethnic studies schools. University Of Arizona is a public school located in the city of Tucson. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from University Of Arizona typically earn about $45,742 annually.
The University Of Texas Pan American ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying ethnic studies schools. Set in the city of Edinburg, The University Of Texas Pan American is a public institution. After graduating, ethnic studies degree recipients from The University Of Texas Pan American typically earn about $23,604 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 · 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.