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Buddhist Studies

Types of Degrees Buddhist Studies Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Buddhist Studies have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	19
Doctor’s Degree	4

What Buddhist Studies Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Buddhist Studies emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Philosophy and Theology — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 6.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• History and Archeology — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Sociology and Anthropology — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a Buddhist Studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Buddhist Studies careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.8 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People	3.8 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Buddhist Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	✓
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Blackboard Learn	Computer based training software	—
Gateway to Logic	Analytical or scientific software	—
iParadigms Turnitin	Information retrieval or search software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
University of California Thesaurus Linguae Graecae TLG	Dictionary software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—
Philosopher’s Information Center The Philosopher’s Index	Data base user interface and query software	—
InteLext Past Masters	Data base user interface and query software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Buddhist Studies graduates include:

• Divinity Teacher
• Jewish Educator
• Ethics Professor
• Religious Studies Teacher
• Pastoral Ministries Professor
• Educator
• Adjunct Instructor
• Philosophy Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Adjunct Philosophy Professor
• Philosophy Specialist
• Philosophy Adjunct Instructor
• Church Music Professor
• Religion Professor
• Adjunct Faculty Member

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	73.8%
Master’s degree	13.1%
Post-doctoral training	12.5%
Post-master’s certificate	0.6%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Buddhist Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 73.9% of Buddhist Studies degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	6	26.1%
Men	17	73.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	11	47.8%
Asian	1	4.3%
Hispanic or Latino	1	4.3%
Two or More Races	2	8.7%
Race Unknown	1	4.3%
International Students	7	30.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Buddhist Studies Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Buddhist 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	$28,787
4 years	$35,631
5 years	$41,557

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $41,557 — roughly 44% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Buddhist Studies Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Buddhist Studies graduates earn a median of $35,631 four years after completion — about 6% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{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
Religion/Religious Studies	38.02
Catholic Studies	38.0208
Christian Studies	38.0203
Hindu Studies	38.0204
Islamic Studies	38.0205
Jewish/Judaic Studies	38.0206
Mormon Studies	38.0209
Religion/Religious Studies, Other	38.0299
Religion/Religious Studies	38.0201
Talmudic Studies	38.0207
Applied and Professional Ethics	38.0104
Ethics	38.0103

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.