by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 77 U.S. colleges awarded 939 degrees and certificates in Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 50% of graduates. College Factual ranks 20 schools in its 2027 Best Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $49,567 one year after completing, rising to $72,085 after four years.
Students 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.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, peace studies & conflict resolution draws strong interest, with 939 degrees awarded annually. 77 colleges award peace studies & conflict resolution degrees, an average of 12 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 113.
By level, the 939 awards include 447 bachelor’s degrees, 472 master’s degrees and 18 doctorates.
Women earned 70% of peace studies & conflict resolution degrees and certificates in the latest year (654 of 939). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (500) and Black or African American (102), and international students earned 110.
College Factual ranks 20 schools in its 2027 Best Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution Schools ranking, including 10 for bachelor’s degrees, 11 for master’s degrees and 1 for doctorates. It also ranks peace studies & conflict resolution schools within 9 states. In all, 77 colleges offer peace studies & conflict resolution programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common peace studies & conflict resolution credential is the master’s degree: 472 of the 939 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to peace studies & conflict resolution call most for Negotiation, Active Listening and Writing, and for knowledge of English Language, Law and Government and Personnel and Human Resources, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Written Expression and Oral Expression.
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.
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How long a peace studies & conflict resolution degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 447 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 472 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 18 |
First professional degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to peace studies & conflict resolution, at 30.8%.
| 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% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution, with an average median salary of $63,946; the strongest outlook belongs to Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other, at 6.1% projected job growth. Typical job titles include University Professor, Faculty Member, Industrial Arts Teacher and Teacher.
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.
The occupation related to peace studies & conflict resolution with the most projected jobs is Postsecondary Teachers, All Other, at 964,215.
| 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% |
Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution graduates earn a median $49,567 one year after completing their program, $72,085 after four years and $78,443 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $49,567 |
| 4 years | $72,085 |
| 5 years | $78,443 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to peace studies & conflict resolution is Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators, with a median salary of $93,794.
| 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 |
Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (939). It has 48 similar majors in the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies field, which together award 149,483 degrees a year; the largest are Biological and Physical Sciences (29,811), Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (29,665) and Data Analytics (17,572). Browse all Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | 939 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 29,811 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 29,665 |
| Data Analytics | 17,572 |
| Data Science | 11,772 |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | 11,175 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 6,906 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5,644 |
| Nutrition Sciences | 5,569 |
| Sustainability Studies | 4,567 |
| Cognitive Science | 3,911 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
