by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Asian-American Studies covers Asian-American Studies. A Program That Focuses On The History, Sociology, Politics, Culture, And Economics Of Asian Population Groups Who Have Immigrated To The United States And Canada, Or Sought Refugee Asylum, From The Colonial Period To The Present, And Including Chinese-Americans, Japanese-Americans, Korean-Americans, Vietnamese-Americans, Cambodian-Americans, And Others. Read on to learn the key facts every asian-american studies major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering asian-american studies programs.
Across the country, asian-american studies is a widely-pursued major, with 172 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Asian-American Studies Schools ranking analyzes these 20 schools to determine the best overall colleges for asian-american studies students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of asian-american studies programs later in this article.
Studies in Asian-American Studies develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations asian-american studies graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a asian-american studies program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a asian-american studies major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several asian-american 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 97 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 75 |
People currently working in careers related to asian-american studies tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in asian-american studies careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in asian-american studies can lead to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to asian-american studies.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to asian-american studies.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 718,152 | 6.5% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of asian-american studies graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $32,619 |
| 4 years | $46,128 |
| 5 years | $53,144 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for asian-american studies graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers asian-american studies grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $47,517 |
With 20 different asian-american studies programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased asian-american studies school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in asian-american studies, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
