Subject Area
Subject Area graduates earn an average annual wage of $103,429, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 50,420 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Subject Area and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$8,120 Median In-State Public
$35,410 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Subject Area majors are, on average, $8,120 for in-state public colleges, and $35,410 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Subject Area programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
39,881 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Subject Area from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Subject Area.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern New Hampshire University | NH | 156,755 |
| 2 | Western Governors University | UT | 135,822 |
| 3 | University of Phoenix-Arizona | AZ | 76,996 |
| 4 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 68,619 |
| 5 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Subject Area programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Camino Community College District | CA | $1,144 |
| 2 | Fullerton College | CA | $1,150 |
| 3 | MiraCosta College | CA | $1,152 |
| 4 | Diablo Valley College | CA | $1,312 |
| 5 | Los Medanos College | CA | $1,312 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Subject Area programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coahoma Community College | MS | $560 |
| 2 | Henry Ford College | MI | $576 |
| 3 | Cerritos College | CA | $693 |
| 4 | Chipola College | FL | $832 |
| 5 | Reedley College | CA | $1,584 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Subject Area programs.
Graduation Rates
57.47% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
59.16% Average Graduation Rate
182 Institutions Reporting
45.95% - 71.53% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Subject Area programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Subject Area graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$103,429 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Subject Area majors is $103,429.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Subject Area majors.
Occupations by Share
50,420 2023 Workforce
The number of Subject Area graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Subject Area by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Subject Area degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Subject Area degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Subject Area in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Subject Area.
Age distribution for Subject Area degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
67,885 Total Degrees Awarded
60,465 Male (89.07%)
7,420 Female (10.93%)
Gender distribution of Subject Area degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
38,775 White (57.12%)
15,323 Hispanic or Latino (22.57%)
6,524 Black or African American (9.61%)
2,383 Two or More Races (3.51%)
1,159 American Indian/Alaska Native (1.71%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Subject Area degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Subject Area are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Subject Area.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Subject Area field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Subject Area majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Subject Area majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Subject Area majors.
About
Subject Area
In 2023, 39,881 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Subject Area.
CIP Code
48.1313 - Subject Area
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Subject Area graduates earn an average annual wage of $103,429, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.