by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies covers Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, And Group Studies. Instructional Programs That Focus On The Defined Areas, Regions, And Countries Of The World; Defined Minority Groups Within And Across Societies; And Issues Relevant To Collective Gender And Group Experience. Read on to learn the important information every area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies programs.
In the U.S., area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies is a popular field of study, with 15,044 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools ranking analyzes these 666 schools to determine the best overall colleges for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies programs later in this article.
Programs in Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 105 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 869 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 8,288 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 5,411 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 359 |
People currently working in careers related to area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 59.8% |
| Master’s degree | 30.9% |
| Post-doctoral training | 3.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.2% |
| First professional degree | 1.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies prepares you for a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $34,569 |
| 4 years | $50,126 |
| 5 years | $58,481 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $47,517 |
With 666 different area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies school rankings to help you.
Students interested in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 9,122 |
| Area Studies | 5,875 |
| Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies, Other | 47 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
