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Research & Quantitative Methods

Types of Degrees Research & Quantitative Methods Majors Are Earning

Those studying Research & Quantitative Methods have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	167
Master’s Degree	1,725
Doctor’s Degree	36

What Research & Quantitative Methods Majors Need to Know

Programs in Research & Quantitative Methods emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Research & Quantitative Methods graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Research & Quantitative Methods emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Research & Quantitative Methods program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Research & Quantitative Methods careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Research & Quantitative Methods graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Research & Quantitative Methods professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Structured query language SQL	Data base user interface and query software	✓
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Research & Quantitative Methods graduates include:

• Weight Control Lecturer
• Foreign Service Teacher
• Social Science Professor
• Naval Science Teacher
• Survey Research Teacher
• City Planning Teacher
• Lecturer
• Urban Planning Professor
• Science Teacher
• Industrial Arts Teacher
• Urban Planning Teacher
• Humanities Teacher
• Liberal Arts Teacher
• College Teacher
• Military Science Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Research & Quantitative Methods graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	46.2%
Master’s degree	23.7%
Doctoral degree	7.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.7%
Some college courses	3.2%
Postsecondary certificate	3.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.9%
Post-doctoral training	1.7%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%
First professional degree	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Research & Quantitative Methods?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 65.6% of Research & Quantitative Methods degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,265	65.6%
Men	664	34.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Research & Quantitative Methods graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	564	29.2%
Asian	222	11.5%
Hispanic or Latino	158	8.2%
Black or African American	151	7.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	66	3.4%
Race Unknown	37	1.9%
International Students	729	37.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Research & Quantitative Methods Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Research & Quantitative Methods graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$37,528
4 years	$43,428
5 years	$50,073

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $50,073 — roughly 33% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Research & Quantitative Methods Programs

Online study are documented by IPEDS for Research & Quantitative Methods. 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	6	2

^{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 Research & Quantitative Methods Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Research & Quantitative Methods graduates earn a median of $43,428 four years after completion — roughly 14% 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
Social Sciences, General	45.01
Social Sciences, General	45.0101
Social Sciences, Other	45.0199
Survey Research/Methodology	45.0103
Applied Demography	45.0502
Demography and Population Studies	45.0501
Demography, Other	45.0599
Rural Sociology	45.1103
Social Sciences, Other	45.9999
Sociology, Other	45.1199
Urban Studies/Affairs	45.1201
Applied Economics	45.0602

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.