by our College Data Analytics TeamStudents eager to prevent war and promote peace both globally and domestically may choose to major in Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution. This major will explore the causes of conflict and the conditions of peace. Your classes will involve modeling and learning from peacemakers such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela. Courses will include the study of arms control and nuclear disarmament.
This is an interdisciplinary topic that will require you to use knowledge from variety of subjects. Conflict resolution; feminism, ecology, and peace; history or nonviolence; literature of peace; philosophies of war and peace; and international relations are all common courses in this major. This major is relatively new and not available at all colleges.
A major in Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution explores Peace Studies And Conflict Resolution. Continue reading for the key facts every peace studies & conflict resolution major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering peace studies & conflict resolution programs.
Nationwide, peace studies & conflict resolution draws strong interest, with 1,003 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution Schools ranking analyzes these 82 schools to determine the best overall colleges for peace studies & conflict resolution students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of peace studies & conflict resolution programs later in this article.
Studies in Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations peace studies & conflict resolution graduates commonly enter.
This major is well-suited to the student who is passionate about resolving conflict worldwide. Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution is for an optimistic person who knows that the world can be a better place. You will attend lectures and classes where you will need to participate in discussion and ask questions.
Students should be open-minded and ready to work with people from all backgrounds. Speaking skills will help you present oral reports and role play as U.N. delegates to help build different and useful peacemaking skills. Reading scholarly work will be normal and you should be ready to apply all types of peace making theories to real life situations. Most colleges will require that you expose yourself to real situations through an internship.
Skills emphasized by a peace studies & conflict resolution program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a peace studies & conflict resolution major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several peace studies & conflict resolution degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 453 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 520 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 29 |
People currently working in careers related to peace studies & conflict resolution tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| First professional degree | 30.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 22.2% |
| Master’s degree | 16.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 8.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 8.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 4.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.4% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in peace studies & conflict resolution careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution will open the door to many different occupations. Many graduates participate in the Peace Corps. Grads also go on to work for the government as ambassadors, mediators, judges, or hearing officers. You could also work for non-profit companies or human rights organizations. Depending on what field you choose, you may need additional training.
A degree in peace studies & conflict resolution opens doors to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to peace studies & conflict resolution.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to peace studies & conflict resolution.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | 964,215 | -0.1% |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | 214,979 | 0.6% |
| Transportation Planners | 43,539 | 4.1% |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | 24,588 | 6.1% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of peace studies & conflict resolution graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $49,567 |
| 4 years | $60,786 |
| 5 years | $75,346 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for peace studies & conflict resolution graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers peace studies & conflict resolution grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $93,794 |
| Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | $68,967 |
| Transportation Planners | $50,855 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | $42,168 |
With 82 different peace studies & conflict resolution programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased peace studies & conflict resolution school rankings to help you.
Those considering peace studies & conflict resolution, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | 1,003 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 30,141 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 28,033 |
| Data Analytics | 12,891 |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | 10,355 |
| Data Science | 7,716 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5,740 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 5,456 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 5,391 |
| Sustainability Studies | 4,374 |
| Cognitive Science | 3,121 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
