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Dispute Resolution

Types of Degrees Dispute Resolution Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Dispute Resolution may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	8
Bachelor’s Degree	2
Master’s Degree	557
Doctor’s Degree	19

What Dispute Resolution Majors Need to Know

Programs in Dispute Resolution build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Dispute Resolution graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Dispute Resolution emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Law and Government — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Dispute Resolution program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Dispute Resolution graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.3 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	3.8 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Dispute Resolution professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Image scanning software	Optical character reader OCR or scanning software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Blackboard Learn	Computer based training software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Dispute Resolution graduates include:

• Adjunct Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Instructor
• Teacher
• Faculty Member
• College Faculty Member
• Professor
• College Professor
• Associate Professor
• Media Law Faculty Member
• Paralegal Instructor
• Constitutional Law Professor
• Business Law Professor
• Law Adjunct Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
First professional degree	35.7%
Doctoral degree	31.2%
Master’s degree	14.5%
Bachelor’s degree	6.9%
Post-master’s certificate	2.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.6%
Less than a high school diploma	1.3%
Some college courses	1.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.6%
Postsecondary certificate	0.6%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Dispute Resolution?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 67.1% of Dispute Resolution degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	393	67.1%
Men	193	32.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Dispute Resolution graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	284	48.5%
Asian	19	3.2%
Hispanic or Latino	56	9.6%
Black or African American	84	14.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	20	3.4%
Race Unknown	35	6.0%
International Students	87	14.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Dispute Resolution Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Dispute Resolution 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	$62,001
4 years	$66,118
5 years	$77,393

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $77,393 — roughly 25% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Dispute Resolution Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Dispute Resolution. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	4	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Dispute Resolution Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Dispute Resolution graduates earn a median of $66,118 four years after completion — roughly 74% 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
Multi Interdisciplinary Studies	30
Accounting and Computer Science	30.16
Anthrozoology	30.34
Behavioral Sciences	30.17
Biological and Physical Sciences	30.01
Biopsychology	30.10
Classical and Ancient Studies	30.22
Climate Science	30.35
Cognitive Science	30.25
Computational Science	30.30
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature	30.36
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis	30.26

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.