International/Global Studies Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
International/Global Studies maps to BLS occupations averaging about $135,756, with roughly 2,930 workers nationwide in those roles. About 8,468 degrees completed in recent IPEDS counts; median program completion runs near 59%.
Key Statistics
International/Global Studies: what the data shows
Common questions about international/global studies degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a international/global studies degree?
A International/Global Studies program is classified under NCES CIP 00.3020 in the 00.0030 field family (00.30).
IPEDS counted 8,468 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of international/global studies degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 00.30 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Accounting and Computer Science (CIP 00.3016)
- Anthrozoology (CIP 00.3034)
- Behavioral Sciences (CIP 00.3017)
- Biological and Physical Sciences (CIP 00.3001)
- Biopsychology (CIP 00.3010)
- Classical and Ancient Studies (CIP 00.3022)
- Climate Science (CIP 00.3035)
- Cognitive Science (CIP 00.3025)
- Computational Science (CIP 00.3030)
- Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature (CIP 00.3036)
- Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis (CIP 00.3026)
- Digital Humanities and Textual Studies (CIP 00.3052)
- Dispute Resolution (CIP 00.3028)
- Earth Systems Science (CIP 00.3038)
- Economics and Computer Science (CIP 00.3039)
- Environmental Geosciences (CIP 00.3041)
- Geobiology (CIP 00.3043)
- Geography and Environmental Studies (CIP 00.3044)
- Gerontology (CIP 00.3011)
- Historic Preservation and Conservation (CIP 00.3012)
- History and Language/Literature (CIP 00.3045)
- History and Political Science (CIP 00.3046)
- Holocaust and Related Studies (CIP 00.3021)
- Human Biology (CIP 00.3027)
- Human Computer Interaction (CIP 00.3031)
- Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies (CIP 00.3023)
- Linguistics and Anthropology (CIP 00.3047)
- Linguistics and Computer Science (CIP 00.3048)
- Marine Sciences (CIP 00.3032)
- Maritime Studies (CIP 00.3029)
- Mathematical Economics (CIP 00.3049)
- Mathematics and Computer Science (CIP 00.3008)
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CIP 00.3013)
- Museology/Museum Studies (CIP 00.3014)
- Natural Sciences (CIP 00.3018)
- Nutrition Sciences (CIP 00.3019)
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (CIP 00.3005)
- Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (CIP 00.3051)
- Science, Technology and Society (CIP 00.3015)
- Sustainability Studies (CIP 00.3033)
- Systems Science and Theory (CIP 00.3006)
How long does it take to get a international/global studies degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 00.3020 in our file:
- 89 Bachelor's (34.1% of IPEDS total)—typically four years
- 172 Master's (65.9% of IPEDS total)—one to two years beyond a bachelor's
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
What do you learn in international/global studies?
O*NET skill ratings for occupations mapped to this major emphasize Reading Comprehension, Instructing, Speaking, Active Learning, Active Listening, Learning Strategies, and related competencies. See the Skills section for the full list in our extract.
What degree do you need?
For Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (top mapped occupation), O*NET incumbent surveys in our career profile report these education credentials most often: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
O*NET education distributions describe incumbent workers, not minimum legal or employer requirements.
What jobs can you get with a international/global studies degree?
Our degree→occupation mapping links International/Global Studies to the BLS roles below. Employment is U.S. OEWS; median wage is national May 2024 where published in our extract.
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 11,430 | $84,290 |
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 12,680 | $75,890 |
See Careers & Jobs for mean wages and industry context.
Is a international/global studies degree worth it?
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $9,595 and median net price is $20,406.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in International/Global Studies and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$9,595 Median In-State Public
$41,120 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for International/Global Studies majors are, on average, $9,595 for in-state public colleges, and $41,120 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for International/Global Studies programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
8,468 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in International/Global Studies from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in International/Global Studies.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 3 | University of Central Florida | FL | 59,095 |
| 4 | Liberty University | VA | 50,059 |
| 5 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | 49,000 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering International/Global Studies programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laney College | CA | $1,148 |
| 2 | Foothill College | CA | $1,565 |
| 3 | Mesa Community College | AZ | $2,358 |
| 4 | Phoenix College | AZ | $2,358 |
| 5 | Paradise Valley Community College | AZ | $2,358 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for International/Global Studies programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kalamazoo Valley Community College | MI | $2,991 |
| 2 | CUNY City College | NY | $3,486 |
| 3 | Washtenaw Community College | MI | $3,561 |
| 4 | New College of Florida | FL | $4,536 |
| 5 | Northwest Vista College | TX | $4,546 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for International/Global Studies programs.
Graduation Rates
59.36% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
57.43% Average Graduation Rate
144 Institutions Reporting
43.88% - 71.16% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for International/Global Studies programs across institutions.
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 00.30 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Accounting and Computer Science CIP 00.3016
- Anthrozoology CIP 00.3034
- Behavioral Sciences CIP 00.3017
- Biological and Physical Sciences CIP 00.3001
- Biopsychology CIP 00.3010
- Classical and Ancient Studies CIP 00.3022
- Climate Science CIP 00.3035
- Cognitive Science CIP 00.3025
- Computational Science CIP 00.3030
- Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature CIP 00.3036
- Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis CIP 00.3026
- Digital Humanities and Textual Studies CIP 00.3052
- Dispute Resolution CIP 00.3028
- Earth Systems Science CIP 00.3038
- Economics and Computer Science CIP 00.3039
- Environmental Geosciences CIP 00.3041
- Geobiology CIP 00.3043
- Geography and Environmental Studies CIP 00.3044
- Gerontology CIP 00.3011
- Historic Preservation and Conservation CIP 00.3012
- History and Language/Literature CIP 00.3045
- History and Political Science CIP 00.3046
- Holocaust and Related Studies CIP 00.3021
- Human Biology CIP 00.3027
- Human Computer Interaction CIP 00.3031
- Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies CIP 00.3023
- Linguistics and Anthropology CIP 00.3047
- Linguistics and Computer Science CIP 00.3048
- Marine Sciences CIP 00.3032
- Maritime Studies CIP 00.3029
- Mathematical Economics CIP 00.3049
- Mathematics and Computer Science CIP 00.3008
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies CIP 00.3013
- Museology/Museum Studies CIP 00.3014
- Natural Sciences CIP 00.3018
- Nutrition Sciences CIP 00.3019
- Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution CIP 00.3005
- Philosophy, Politics, and Economics CIP 00.3051
- Science, Technology and Society CIP 00.3015
- Sustainability Studies CIP 00.3033
- Systems Science and Theory CIP 00.3006
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 00.3020 in the survey year used in our extract (261 total across levels below).
- 89 Bachelor's (34.1% of IPEDS total)
- 172 Master's (65.9% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Careers & Jobs
Occupations linked to this major in our degree→career mapping, with wages and employment from processed BLS career profiles in this repo.
Across these BLS occupations, employment-weighted mean pay is about $135,756. Figures are national OEWS estimates for the occupation—not earnings of International/Global Studies graduates alone.
Related occupations (BLS OEWS)
| Occupation | Mean annual wage | U.S. employment |
|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $129,630 | 11,430 |
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | $141,278 | 12,680 |
Open each occupation for full career profile charts and industry breakdowns on EDsmart Data.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$137,183 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for International/Global Studies majors is $137,183.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for International/Global Studies majors.
Occupations by Share
2,930 2023 Workforce
The number of International/Global Studies graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in International/Global Studies by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in International/Global Studies in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in International/Global Studies.
Age distribution for International/Global Studies degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Gender distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Gender distribution of International/Global Studies degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Race and ethnicity distribution data is not available for this degree program.
Racial and ethnic distribution of International/Global Studies degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in International/Global Studies are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in International/Global Studies.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the International/Global Studies field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
International/Global Studies majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for International/Global Studies 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 International/Global Studies majors.
About
International/Global Studies
In 2023, 8,468 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in International/Global Studies.
CIP Code
00.3020 - International/Global Studies
What the data shows
Mapped BLS occupations show employment-weighted mean pay of about $135,756. The largest mapped role by headcount is Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (11,430 U.S. jobs in OEWS).
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $9,595 in-state at public colleges and $41,120 at private institutions for programs in this field.
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.