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Homeland Security

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 43.0301 - 43.0399.

Types of Degrees Homeland Security Majors Are Earning

Those studying Homeland Security may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	90
Associate’s Degree	438
Bachelor’s Degree	2,638
Master’s Degree	3,040
Doctor’s Degree	29

What Homeland Security Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Homeland Security emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Law and Government — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Homeland Security program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

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

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Homeland Security careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Homeland Security graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.2 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Homeland Security professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Microsoft Visio	Process mapping and design software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
IBM Lotus Notes	Electronic mail software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Homeland Security graduates include:

• Safety Supervisor
• Compliance Director
• Testing Director
• Recreation Facility Manager
• Communications Station Manager
• Health Club Manager
• Utilities Manager
• Fish and Game Club Manager
• Testing and Regulating Chief
• Power Superintendent
• Plant Assigner
• Car Wash Manager
• Research and Development Director
• Poolroom/Poolhall Manager
• Mining Manager

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	50.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	15.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	9.3%
Some college courses	8.5%
Master’s degree	7.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.6%
Postsecondary certificate	3.4%
Doctoral degree	0.8%
Post-master’s certificate	0.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Homeland Security?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 65.8% of Homeland Security degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,160	34.2%
Men	4,163	65.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Homeland Security graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	3,401	53.8%
Asian	211	3.3%
Hispanic or Latino	1,168	18.5%
Black or African American	745	11.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	55	0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	32	0.5%
Two or More Races	190	3.0%
Race Unknown	394	6.2%
International Students	127	2.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Homeland Security Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Homeland Security 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	$66,896
4 years	$65,332
5 years	$74,471

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $74,471 — roughly 11% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Homeland Security Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Homeland Security. 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
Associate’s	25	9
Bachelor’s	71	26
Master’s	64	20
Doctoral (Research)	5	0

^{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 Homeland Security Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Homeland Security graduates earn a median of $65,332 four years after completion — roughly 72% 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	Annual Degrees Awarded
Protective Security Safety Services	134,462
Criminal Justice and Corrections	102,547
Fire Protection	15,202
Security Science and Technology	9,173
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other	1,217
HOMELAND SECURITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTING AND RELATED PROTECTIVE SERVICES	—

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.