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International Studies Major

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International Studies

6,197 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
834 Master's Degrees Annually
#69 in Popularity
$115,300 Median Salary

Types of Degrees International Studies Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 6,197
Master’s Degree 834
Basic Certificate 164
Graduate Certificate 67
Undergraduate Certificate 49
Associate Degree 40
Doctor’s Degree 17

What International Studies Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, international studies majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for International Studies Majors

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

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  • Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • 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.
  • Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for International Studies Majors

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

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  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • 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.

Abilities for International Studies Majors

As you progress with your international studies degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • 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.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

What Can You Do With a International Studies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with international studies:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Political Scientists 2.7% $117,570

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

6,197 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
69% Percent Women
39% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 6,197 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international studies in 2021, making it rank #69 in popularity. The major attracts more women than men. About 69% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 582
Black or African American 374
Hispanic or Latino 1,155
White 2,971
International Students 668
Other Races/Ethnicities 447

Geographic Diversity

International Studies appeals to people across the globe. About 10.8% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • South Korea
  • Japan
  • Saudi Arabia
  • India

How Much Do International Studies Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international studies have a median salary of $29,348 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $26,632 (25th percentile) and $34,197 (75th percentile).

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

Salaries According to BLS

The median salary for someone in a career related to international studies is $115,300. This median refers to all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

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.

Median Salary for an International Studies Major  115,300
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Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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Some careers associated with international studies require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to international studies have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree 6.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 3.3%
Master’s Degree 13.3%
Doctoral Degree 73.3%
Post-Doctoral Training 3.3%

Online International Studies Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 426 schools offered some type of international 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) 7 2
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 22 2
Bachelor’s Degree 21 2
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 47 6
Post-Master’s 3 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 7 1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in International Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a international studies grad is $115,300 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 189% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,508,000 after 20 years!

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

Major Number of Grads
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 34,975
Biological & Physical Science 30,075
Interdisciplinary Studies 9,074
Nutrition Science 5,330
Behavioral Science 4,169
Sustainability Science 3,005
Cognitive Science 2,776
Natural Sciences 2,214
Human Biology 1,939
Human Computer Interaction 1,857
Computational Science 1,360
Data Analytics 1,338
Mathematics & Computer Science 1,302
Gerontology 1,234
Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution 1,175
Science, Technology & Society 1,095
Systems Theory 884
Museum Studies 816
Dispute Resolution 648
Data Science 541
Multicultural & Diversity Studies 482
Historic Preservation 416
Cultural Studies & Analysis 405
Marine Science 334
Classical & Ancient Studies 275
Biopsychology 183
Medieval Studies 104
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics 97
History and Political Science 66
Holocaust Studies 66
Maritime Studies 50
Accounting & Computer Science 48
Earth Systems Science 44
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature 42
Geography and Environmental Studies 40
Environmental Geosciences 20
Anthrozoology 13
Digital Humanities and Textual Studies 12
Mathematical Economics 10
Linguistics and Computer Science 6
Linguistics and Anthropology 4
Economics and Computer Science 2
History and Language/Literature 0
Thanatology 0

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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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