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Islamic Studies

Types of Degrees Islamic Studies Majors Are Earning

Those studying Islamic Studies have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	4
Master’s Degree	28
Doctor’s Degree	4

What Islamic Studies Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Islamic 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

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

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

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Islamic 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.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Islamic 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 Islamic Studies professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Google Drive	Cloud-based data access and sharing software	—
FileMaker Pro	Data base user interface and query software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Collaborative editing software	Word processing software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training 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 Islamic Studies graduates include:

• Professor
• Lecturer
• Humanities Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Hawaiian Studies Lecturer
• Ethnic Studies Professor
• Assistant Professor
• College Faculty Member
• American Studies Professor
• Ethnology Professor
• Women’s Studies Professor
• Associate Professor
• Ethnic Origins Teacher
• College Professor
• University Faculty Member

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Islamic 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 Islamic Studies?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 50% women and 50% men among Islamic Studies graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	18	50.0%
Men	18	50.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	15	41.7%
Asian	6	16.7%
Hispanic or Latino	1	2.8%
Black or African American	1	2.8%
Race Unknown	1	2.8%
International Students	12	33.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Islamic Studies Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Islamic 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.}

Online Islamic Studies Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Islamic Studies. 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
Bachelor’s	1	0
Master’s	1	1

^{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 Islamic Studies Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Islamic 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
Buddhist Studies	38.0202
Catholic Studies	38.0208
Christian Studies	38.0203
Hindu Studies	38.0204
Jewish/Judaic Studies	38.0206
Mormon Studies	38.0209
Religion/Religious Studies, Other	38.0299
Religion/Religious Studies	38.0201
Talmudic Studies	38.0207

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.