American Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
American Studies is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding the complex evolution of the United States through the lens of its historical development, cultural expressions, political systems, social dynamics, and economic transformations. By integrating perspectives from multiple scholarly domains, the program equips students with the analytical tools to explore the nation’s past and present in depth, while examining the profound impact of migration and diverse cultural influences.
- Historical Foundations: Traces the development of the United States from pre-Columbian civilizations and colonial settlements through to the formation of the modern republic, emphasizing key turning points and long-term trends.
- Cultural Expression: Investigates literature, art, music, film, and popular culture as reflections of national identity, social values, and evolving worldviews across time.
- Political Institutions: Analyzes the structure and function of government, civil rights movements, electoral processes, and the role of power and policy in shaping national life.
- Social Structures: Explores patterns of race, class, gender, and ethnicity, examining how identity and inequality have influenced societal development and public discourse.
- Economic Systems: Studies the evolution of labor, industry, trade, and economic policy, highlighting how capitalism, innovation, and global connections have transformed American life.
- Immigration and Transnational Influence: Examines the historical and ongoing movement of people into the United States, assessing how diverse backgrounds have enriched and reshaped national culture and politics.
American Studies Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
American Studies Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with American Studies degrees, including Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 11,430 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1062 | $84,290 | $51,130 - $164,650 | 11,430 | N/A |
American Studies Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $61,920 in Florida to $113,070 in California—a 83% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Vermont, and Kansas. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 11,430 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for American Studies by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering American Studies programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in American Studies is found at Coastline Community College (CC) (106 graduates), University of California (UCB), Berkeley (56 graduates), California State University (CSUF), Fullerton (37 graduates), Yale University (33 graduates), and University of Notre Dame (ND) (30 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,113 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coastline Community College (CC) |
Associate's
|
106 | Fountain Valley, California | Public | coastline.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
|
56 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| California State University (CSUF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
37 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullerton.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
33 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| University of Notre Dame (ND) |
Bachelor's
|
30 | Notre Dame, Indiana | Private | nd.edu |
| Wesleyan University |
Bachelor's
|
28 | Middletown, Connecticut | Private | wesleyan.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
27 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
24 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| Brown University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
23 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | brown.edu |
| William & Mary (W&M) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
22 | Williamsburg, Virginia | Public | wm.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| Barnard College |
Bachelor's
|
21 | New York, New York | Private | barnard.edu |
| California State University (CSULB) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Long Beach, California | Public | csulb.edu |
| Oberlin College |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Oberlin, Ohio | Private | oberlin.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
17 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| Trinity College |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | Hartford, Connecticut | Private | trincoll.edu |
| Georgetown University (GU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | georgetown.edu |
| Fordham University |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| University of Wyoming (UW) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | Laramie, Wyoming | Public | uwyo.edu |
| Cornell University |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
14 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
14 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| Brigham Young University (BYU) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Provo, Utah | Private | byu.edu |
| University of Kentucky (UK) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | uky.edu |
| Williams College |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Williamstown, Massachusetts | Private | williams.edu |
| Smith College |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Northampton, Massachusetts | Private | smith.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Middletown, Pennsylvania | Public | harrisburg.psu.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| Towson University (TU) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Towson, Maryland | Public | towson.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| Connecticut College (Conn) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | New London, Connecticut | Private | conncoll.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
| Saint Louis University (SLU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | slu.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
9 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| University of Delaware (UD) |
Master's
|
9 | Newark, Delaware | Public | udel.edu |
| Brandeis University |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Waltham, Massachusetts | Private | brandeis.edu |
| Wellesley College |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Wellesley, Massachusetts | Private | wellesley.edu |
| University of New Mexico (UNM) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | unm.edu |
| Vassar College |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Poughkeepsie, New York | Private | vassar.edu |
| CUNY City College (CCNY) |
Master's
|
8 | New York, New York | Public | ccny.cuny.edu |
| Skidmore College |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Saratoga Springs, New York | Private | skidmore.edu |
| Franklin and Marshall College (F&M) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Lancaster, Pennsylvania | Private | fandm.edu |
| Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) |
Other Award
|
8 | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | Public | mtsu.edu |
| Vanderbilt University (VU) |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Nashville, Tennessee | Private | vanderbilt.edu |
| Stanford University |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Stanford, California | Private | stanford.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Brunswick, Georgia | Public | ccga.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Newark, New Jersey | Public | newark.rutgers.edu |
| Stockton University |
Master's
|
7 | Galloway, New Jersey | Public | stockton.edu |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center |
Postbac Cert.
|
7 | New York, New York | Public | gc.cuny.edu |
| SUNY Old Westbury |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Old Westbury, New York | Public | oldwestbury.edu |
| Northeastern State University (NSU) |
Master's
|
7 | Tahlequah, Oklahoma | Public | nsuok.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| DePaul University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | depaul.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
6 | Boston, Massachusetts | Public | umb.edu |
| Tufts University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Medford, Massachusetts | Private | tufts.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| Hobart William Smith Colleges (HWS) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Geneva, New York | Private | hws.edu |
| University at Buffalo (UB) |
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Buffalo, New York | Public | buffalo.edu |
| Bowling Green State University (BGSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Bowling Green, Ohio | Public | bgsu.edu |
| Miami University |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Oxford, Ohio | Public | miamioh.edu |
| Dickinson College |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Carlisle, Pennsylvania | Private | dickinson.edu |
| Providence College |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Providence, Rhode Island | Private | providence.edu |
| University of Washington (UW Bothell) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Bothell, Washington | Public | uwb.edu |
| Kennesaw State University (KSU) |
Master's
|
6 | Kennesaw, Georgia | Public | kennesaw.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMBC) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umbc.edu |
| Marist College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Poughkeepsie, New York | Private | marist.edu |
| The University of the South |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Sewanee, Tennessee | Private | sewanee.edu |
| Middlebury College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Middlebury, Vermont | Private | middlebury.edu |
| Western Washington University (WWU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Bellingham, Washington | Public | wwu.edu |
| Occidental College (Oxy) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Los Angeles, California | Private | oxy.edu |
| Pepperdine University |
Master's
|
4 | Malibu, California | Private | pepperdine.edu |
| Pitzer College (PZ) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Claremont, California | Private | pitzer.edu |
| Riverside City College (RCC) |
Associate's
|
4 | Riverside, California | Public | rcc.edu |
| Scripps College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Claremont, California | Private | scrippscollege.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| Bates College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Lewiston, Maine | Private | bates.edu |
| Colby College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Waterville, Maine | Private | colby.edu |
| Harvard University |
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Carleton College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Northfield, Minnesota | Private | carleton.edu |
| Kenyon College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Gambier, Ohio | Private | kenyon.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| Fairfield University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
3 | Fairfield, Connecticut | Private | fairfield.edu |
| American University (AU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | american.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| Goucher College |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | goucher.edu |
| Hampshire College |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Private | hampshire.edu |
| Nazareth University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
3 | Rochester, New York | Private | www2.naz.edu |
| Oklahoma State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Public | okstate.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Richardson, Texas | Public | utdallas.edu |
| Utah State University (USU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Logan, Utah | Public | usu.edu |
| Washington State University (WSU) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
3 | Pullman, Washington | Public | wsu.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
2 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| San Francisco State University (SFSU) |
Bachelor's
|
2 | San Francisco, California | Public | sfsu.edu |
| Eckerd College |
Bachelor's
|
2 | Saint Petersburg, Florida | Private | eckerd.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about American Studies programs
How much can I earn with a American Studies degree?
Salaries for American Studies graduates vary by role and location. Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $84,290 annually. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $113,070 compared to $61,920 in Florida. Approximately 11,430 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest American Studies programs?
Currently 135 accredited institutions offer American Studies degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Coastline Community College (CC) (106 graduates), University of California (UCB), Berkeley (56 graduates), and California State University (CSUF), Fullerton (37 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in American Studies growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 2,111 in 2010 to a peak of 1,594 in 2020, before declining slightly to 1,156 in 2023-24. This represents a 45% decrease overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a American Studies degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary. Related occupations employ approximately 11,430 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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