Find Grad Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

International Studies Major

Find Schools Near

International Studies

834 Master's Degrees Annually
17 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#126 in Popularity (Master's)
$115,300 Median Salary

Types of Degrees International Studies Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many international studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 834
Graduate Certificate 67
Doctor’s Degree 17

What International Studies Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to international studies were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for International Studies Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

undefined
  • Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for International Studies Majors

A major in international studies prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

undefined
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for International Studies Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a international studies student include the following:

undefined
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

What Can You Do With a International Studies Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with international studies:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Political Scientists 2.7% $117,570

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in International Studies?

834 Master's Degrees Annually
52% Percent Women
37% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
Roughly 52% of the graduates are women, and 48% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of international studies majors is as follows:

undefined
Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 45
Black or African American 97
Hispanic or Latino 129
White 366
International Students 125
Other Races/Ethnicities 72

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in International Studies. About 15.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • South Korea
  • Japan
  • Saudi Arabia
  • India

How Much Do International Studies Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in international studies made a median starting salary of $46,659 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $38,888 (25th percentile) and $54,607 (75th percentile).

undefined

Note that some of these people may have jobs that are not directly related to a international studies degree.

Salaries According to BLS

The median salary for someone in a career related to international studies is $115,300. This median refers to all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for an International Studies Major  115,300
0K
250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
0K
250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
0K
250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
0K
250K

Some careers associated with international studies require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for international studies careers below.

undefined
Education Level Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree 6.7%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 3.3%
Master’s Degree 13.3%
Doctoral Degree 73.3%
Post-Doctoral Training 3.3%

Online International Studies Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 426 schools offered some type of international studies program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 7 2
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 22 2
Bachelor’s Degree 21 2
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 47 6
Post-Master’s 3 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 7 1
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in International Studies Worth It?

The median salary for a international studies grad is $115,300 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 189% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,508,000 after 20 years!

undefined

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to international studies.

Major Number of Grads
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 2,491
Sustainability Science 1,547
Nutrition Science 1,496
Behavioral Science 1,358
Computational Science 1,063
Human Computer Interaction 822
Data Analytics 793
Museum Studies 696
Gerontology 655
Biological & Physical Science 639
Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution 522
Systems Theory 461
Dispute Resolution 416
Interdisciplinary Studies 402
Data Science 373
Mathematics & Computer Science 290
Historic Preservation 266
Science, Technology & Society 198
Multicultural & Diversity Studies 176
Cultural Studies & Analysis 161
Cognitive Science 123
Marine Science 104
Natural Sciences 76
Holocaust Studies 54
Medieval Studies 46
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature 28
Human Biology 18
Classical & Ancient Studies 17
Earth Systems Science 13
Maritime Studies 9
Accounting & Computer Science 8
Linguistics and Computer Science 6
Environmental Geosciences 6
Linguistics and Anthropology 2
Thanatology 0
Biopsychology 0

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Featured Schools

Find Graduate Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited graduate schools across the U.S.