Ethnic Studies

Types of Degrees Ethnic Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many ethnic studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	5,787
Basic Certificate	1,538
Associate Degree	756
Master’s Degree	492
Graduate Certificate	491
Doctor’s Degree	98
Undergraduate Certificate	69

What Ethnic Studies Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to ethnic studies and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Ethnic Studies Majors

Ethnic Studies majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Foreign Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
• Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Skills for Ethnic Studies Majors

A major in ethnic studies prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Ethnic Studies Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a ethnic studies student include the following:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Ethnic Studies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with ethnic studies:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Professors	10.4%	$74,440
Interpreters and Translators	17.7%	$49,930

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Ethnic Studies?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 5,787 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies in 2021, making it rank #73 in popularity. The major attracts more women than men. About 83% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of ethnic studies majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	352
Black or African American	1,104
Hispanic or Latino	1,800
White	1,689
International Students	143
Other Races/Ethnicities	699

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Ethnic Studies. About 2.5% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• South Korea
• Canada
• Japan
• India

How Much Do Ethnic Studies Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of ethnic studies students with a bachelor’s degree is $29,213 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $26,273 (25th percentile) and $31,410 (75th percentile).

We don’t know for sure if all of these people took jobs related to ethnic studies so take that into consideration.

Salaries According to BLS

Ethnic Studies majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $55,230 to $85,450 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Ethnic Studies

Some careers associated with ethnic studies require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for ethnic studies careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.5%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	0.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	3.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	17.0%
Master’s Degree	29.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	5.1%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.8%
Doctoral Degree	41.5%
Post-Doctoral Training	2.7%

Online Ethnic Studies Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 646 schools offered some type of ethnic studies program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	18	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	9	0
Associate’s Degree	170	6
Bachelor’s Degree	141	10
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	137	5
Post-Master’s	18	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	59	1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Ethnic Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a ethnic studies grad is $55,230 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 38% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $306,600 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Ethnic Studies

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to ethnic studies.

Major	Number of Grads
Area Studies	6,966
Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies (Other)	46

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By G. MГјtzel under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.