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European Studies

Types of Degrees European Studies Majors Are Earning

Those studying European Studies may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	52
Master’s Degree	59

What European Studies Majors Need to Know

Coursework for European Studies emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that European Studies graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in European Studies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Sociology and Anthropology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Foreign Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a European Studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to European Studies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, European Studies graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Developing Objectives and Strategies	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by European Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—
Collaborative editing software	Word processing software	—
iParadigms Turnitin	Information retrieval or search software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Blackboard Learn	Computer based training software	—
YouTube	Video creation and editing software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Social media software	Web page creation and editing software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for European Studies graduates include:

• Faculty Lecturer
• Hawaiian Studies Lecturer
• Black Studies Professor
• Humanities Professor
• Asian Studies Professor
• University Faculty Member
• American Studies Professor
• Ethnic Studies Teacher
• Women’s Studies Professor
• Professor
• College Faculty Member
• Latin American Studies Professor
• Associate Professor
• Ethnic Studies Professor
• Gender Studies Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to European Studies graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	60.5%
Master’s degree	31.0%
Post-doctoral training	4.0%
Post-master’s certificate	3.2%
First professional degree	1.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in European Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 72.1% of European Studies degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	80	72.1%
Men	31	27.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of European Studies graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	76	68.5%
Asian	3	2.7%
Hispanic or Latino	12	10.8%
Black or African American	3	2.7%
Two or More Races	7	6.3%
Race Unknown	1	0.9%
International Students	9	8.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do European Studies Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of European Studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$37,815
4 years	$54,317
5 years	$64,382

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $64,382 — roughly 70% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in European Studies Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, European Studies graduates earn a median of $54,317 four years after completion — roughly 43% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Area Studies	05.01
African Studies	05.0101
American/United States Studies/Civilization	05.0102
Appalachian Studies	05.0135
Arctic Studies	05.0136
Area Studies, Other	05.0199
Asian Studies/Civilization	05.0103
Balkans Studies	05.0116
Baltic Studies	05.0117
Canadian Studies	05.0115
Caribbean Studies	05.0119
Chinese Studies	05.0123

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.