University of California-Los Angeles: Area Studies

Master's degree · CIP 05.01 · No credentials fully online · Los Angeles, CA

The Department of Education did not publish earnings for this program, usually because too few graduates were in the measured cohorts. Median debt was not published. Nationally, graduates of master's degree programs in this field earned a median of $52,788 one year after completing.

Median earnings, 1 year
Data unavailable
Data unavailable
Median earnings, 4 years
$71,833
Verified data
Median federal debt
Data unavailable
Data unavailable
Debt to first-year earnings
Data unavailable
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This program compared with the national picture

MeasureThis programNational median, same field and credential
Median earnings 1 year after completionSuppressed for privacy$52,788
Median earnings 4 years after completion$71,833$68,936
Median federal loan debt (Stafford and Grad PLUS)Suppressed for privacyData unavailable Median of programs
Estimated monthly payment on median debt (10-year standard)Data unavailable
Graduates in the most recent year18934 across 150 programs

Earnings cohorts: Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars. Debt cohort: NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort. Debt covers federal loans only and excludes private loans and Parent PLUS loans. Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, before taxes.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Careers this field prepares students for

From the official CIP to SOC crosswalk. Graduates do not all enter these occupations, and occupation wages describe all workers, not new graduates. Official crosswalk

OccupationMedian wage, all workersChange 2025 to 2035
Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary$85,020+2.7%
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.

Comparable programs with the highest early earnings

SchoolMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian debt
Georgetown University
DC · Private, nonprofit
$71,262Data unavailable
Harvard University
MA · Private, nonprofit
$69,625Data unavailable
Columbia University in the City of New York
NY · Private, nonprofit
$62,498Data unavailable
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
WA · Public
$59,749Data unavailable
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
$58,295Data unavailable
New York University
NY · Private, nonprofit
$58,259Data unavailable
Center for Advanced Studies On Puerto Rico and the Caribbean
PR · Private, nonprofit
$28,356Data unavailable

See all Area Studies programs and national outcomes

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University of California-Los Angeles Area Studies (Master's degree): Earnings and Debt | ConnectPrep Career Intelligence