Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 81 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies pays
Career outlook for Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies graduates
The job market for the occupations Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interpreters and translators | 75,300 | +1.7% | $59,440 | Bachelor's degree |
| Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary | 14,500 | +2.4% | $84,290 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies vs similar majors
How Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies stacks up against the closest fields in Area, Ethnic & Cultural Studies on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Area, Ethnic & Cultural Studies · this major | Area Studies | |
|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 29 F | 55 C |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $51,742 | $63,564 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $32,005 | $37,700 |
| ROI vs cost | -15% | +132% |
| Typical debt | $20,228 | $21,803 |
| Colleges offering it | 81 | 73 |
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Associate's | $56,639 | — | +1,850% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of Georgia Athens, GA | Certificate | $63,173 | — | +1,204% | Strong return |
| 3 | University of Hawaii at Hilo Hilo, HI | Associate's | $61,507 | — | +596% | Strong return |
| 4 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | Associate's | $50,335 | $8,625 | +471% | Strong return |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $61,195 | $14,820 | +431% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA | Associate's | $57,840 | $12,551 | +416% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Associate's | $60,614 | $15,076 | +381% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Associate's | $59,348 | $14,802 | +353% | Strong return |
| 9 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Associate's | $54,046 | $19,500 | +348% | Strong return |
| 10 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Certificate | $66,934 | — | +347% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus Bothell, WA | Associate's | $57,840 | $12,551 | +340% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Associate's | $59,797 | $24,237 | +338% | Strong return |
| 13 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | Associate's | $58,913 | $19,187 | +325% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA | Associate's | $63,903 | — | +322% | Strong return |
| 15 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD | Associate's | $59,904 | $16,250 | +300% | Strong return |
| 16 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | Associate's | $57,840 | $12,551 | +292% | Strong return |
| 17 | Portland State University Portland, OR | Associate's | $55,563 | $24,506 | +277% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Associate's | $58,175 | $13,250 | +256% | Strong return |
| 19 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL | Certificate | $64,859 | — | +252% | Strong return |
| 20 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA | Certificate | $56,034 | $25,750 | +246% | Strong return |
| 21 | Towson University Towson, MD | Associate's | $59,315 | $18,618 | +244% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $52,141 | $22,692 | +235% | Strong return |
| 23 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Associate's | $55,308 | $17,303 | +234% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | Associate's | $56,498 | $14,000 | +233% | Strong return |
| 25 | Wellesley College Wellesley, MA | Associate's | $60,668 | — | +207% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.