African American Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Explore the rich and dynamic experiences of African-descended communities across North America through an interdisciplinary lens. This program examines the historical foundations, social structures, political movements, cultural expressions, and economic realities that have shaped these populations, with a focus on the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, while also engaging with transnational connections to Latin America.
- History of the African Diaspora: Traces the forced migration of enslaved Africans and the subsequent development of communities across the Americas, emphasizing resilience, adaptation, and identity formation.
- Sociology of Race and Ethnicity: Investigates the social construction of race, systems of inequality, and the lived experiences of Black populations within diverse societal contexts.
- Political Thought and Activism: Analyzes the evolution of Black political engagement, civil rights movements, and contemporary struggles for justice, equity, and representation.
- Cultural Production and Expression: Explores literature, music, visual arts, film, and performance as vital forms of resistance, storytelling, and cultural affirmation.
- Economic Inequality and Development: Examines historical and structural factors influencing wealth gaps, labor patterns, entrepreneurship, and economic policy as they relate to African-descended communities.
African American Studies Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
African American Studies Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with African 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 |
African 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 African American Studies by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering African 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 African American Studies is found at University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles (42 graduates), Yale University (28 graduates), Georgia State University (23 graduates), Temple University (21 graduates), and University of Virginia (UVA), Main Campus (21 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 817 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California (UCLA) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
42 | Los Angeles, California | Public | ucla.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
28 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| Georgia State University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
23 | Atlanta, Georgia | Public | gsu.edu |
| Temple University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | temple.edu |
| University of Virginia (UVA) |
Bachelor's
|
21 | Charlottesville, Virginia | Public | virginia.edu |
| Wesleyan University |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Middletown, Connecticut | Private | wesleyan.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| California State University (CSUN) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Northridge, California | Public | csun.edu |
| Harvard University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
17 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| Princeton University |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Princeton, New Jersey | Private | princeton.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
15 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| University of California (UCD) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Davis, California | Public | ucdavis.edu |
| Howard University (HU) |
Bachelor's
|
14 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | howard.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
14 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Public | charlotte.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
13 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| Amherst College |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Private | amherst.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| San Francisco State University (SFSU) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | San Francisco, California | Public | sfsu.edu |
| Northwestern University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Evanston, Illinois | Private | northwestern.edu |
| University at Albany (UAlbany) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | Albany, New York | Public | albany.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | uncg.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
11 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| Dartmouth College |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Hanover, New Hampshire | Private | dartmouth.edu |
| Columbia University in the City of New York |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
11 | New York, New York | Private | columbia.edu |
| SUNY Brockport |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Brockport, New York | Public | brockport.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| Oberlin College |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Oberlin, Ohio | Private | oberlin.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| Indiana University (IUB) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
9 | Bloomington, Indiana | Public | indiana.edu |
| Wayne State University (WSU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Detroit, Michigan | Public | wayne.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
9 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Bachelor's
|
8 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| Smith College |
Bachelor's
|
8 | Northampton, Massachusetts | Private | smith.edu |
| Cornell University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
8 | Ithaca, New York | Private | cornell.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| University of California (UCSB) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | ucsb.edu |
| Loyola Marymount University (LMU) |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Los Angeles, California | Private | lmu.edu |
| Emory University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | emory.edu |
| Morgan State University (MSU) |
Master's
|
7 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | morgan.edu |
| Brandeis University |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Waltham, Massachusetts | Private | brandeis.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
|
7 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| CUNY Lehman College |
Bachelor's
|
7 | Bronx, New York | Public | lehman.edu |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | San Diego, California | Public | sdsu.edu |
| San Jose State University (SJSU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | San Jose, California | Public | sjsu.edu |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | famu.edu |
| Boston College (BC) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts | Private | bc.edu |
| Wellesley College |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Wellesley, Massachusetts | Private | wellesley.edu |
| Washington University in St Louis (WashU) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Saint Louis, Missouri | Private | wustl.edu |
| New York University (NYU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
6 | New York, New York | Private | nyu.edu |
| State University of New York |
Bachelor's
|
6 | New Paltz, New York | Public | newpaltz.edu |
| University of Pennsylvania (Penn) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
6 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Private | upenn.edu |
| University of Puget Sound (UPS) |
Bachelor's
|
6 | Tacoma, Washington | Private | pugetsound.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Fresno, California | Public | fresnostate.edu |
| Occidental College (Oxy) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Los Angeles, California | Private | oxy.edu |
| University of Delaware (UD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
5 | Newark, Delaware | Public | udel.edu |
| Georgetown University (GU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | georgetown.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
5 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| Berea College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Berea, Kentucky | Private | berea.edu |
| Eastern Michigan University (EMU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Ypsilanti, Michigan | Public | emich.edu |
| William Paterson University of New Jersey |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Wayne, New Jersey | Public | wpunj.edu |
| CUNY Brooklyn College |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Brooklyn, New York | Public | brooklyn.cuny.edu |
| Fordham University |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Bronx, New York | Private | fordham.edu |
| Cleveland State University (CSU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Cleveland, Ohio | Public | csuohio.edu |
| Sinclair Community College |
Other Award
|
5 | Dayton, Ohio | Public | sinclair.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Bachelor's
|
5 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| Portland State University (PSU) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
5 | Portland, Oregon | Public | pdx.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
4 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of Southern California (USC) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Los Angeles, California | Private | usc.edu |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Champaign, Illinois | Public | illinois.edu |
| Lake Forest College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Lake Forest, Illinois | Private | lakeforest.edu |
| University of Louisville (UofL) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
4 | Louisville, Kentucky | Public | louisville.edu |
| Bates College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Lewiston, Maine | Private | bates.edu |
| Williams College |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Williamstown, Massachusetts | Private | williams.edu |
| University of Nebraska (UNO) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Omaha, Nebraska | Public | unomaha.edu |
| University of Nevada (UNLV) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Public | unlv.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Bachelor's
|
4 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center |
Postbac Cert.
|
4 | New York, New York | Public | gc.cuny.edu |
| Binghamton University |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Vestal, New York | Public | binghamton.edu |
| Denison University (DU) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Granville, Ohio | Private | denison.edu |
| College of Charleston (CofC) |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Charleston, South Carolina | Public | cofc.edu |
| University of Memphis (UofM) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
4 | Memphis, Tennessee | Public | memphis.edu |
| The University of Tennessee |
Postbac Cert.
|
4 | Knoxville, Tennessee | Public | utk.edu |
| Stanford University |
Bachelor's
|
4 | Stanford, California | Private | stanford.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| University of Arkansas (U of A) |
Postbac Cert.
|
3 | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Public | uark.edu |
| California State University (CSUDH) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Carson, California | Public | csudh.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Los Angeles, California | Public | calstatela.edu |
| University of California (UCI) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Irvine, California | Public | uci.edu |
| University of California (UCSD) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | La Jolla, California | Public | ucsd.edu |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Denver, Colorado | Public | msudenver.edu |
| American University (AU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | american.edu |
| University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Chicago, Illinois | Public | uic.edu |
| Indiana University (IU Indianapolis) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | indianapolis.iu.edu |
| University of Notre Dame (ND) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Notre Dame, Indiana | Private | nd.edu |
| Johns Hopkins University (JHU) |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Baltimore, Maryland | Private | jhu.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
|
3 | Boston, Massachusetts | Public | umb.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about African American Studies programs
How much can I earn with a African American Studies degree?
Salaries for African 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 African American Studies programs?
Currently 170 accredited institutions offer African American Studies degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of California (UCLA), Los Angeles (42 graduates), Yale University (28 graduates), and Georgia State University (23 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 African American Studies growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 1,070 in 2010 to a peak of 1,271 in 2020, before declining slightly to 922 in 2023-24. This represents a 14% 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 African 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.
Related Cultural Studies Programs
Explore similar degree programs within the Cultural Studies field. These programs share the same academic discipline and may offer complementary skills and career pathways.
Asian American Studies
A program that focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of Asian population groups who have immigrated to the United States...
Women's Studies
A program that focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of women, and the development of modern feminism in relation to...
LGBTQ Studies
A program that focuses on homosexuality in history, society, politics, and cultural life; usually with an emphasis on the modern emergence of gays...
Folklore Studies
A program that focuses on the study of creativity and aesthetic expression in everyday life, as expressed in narrative, literature, performing arts, culture,...
Disability Studies
A program that focuses on the nature, meaning, and consequences of what it is to be defined as disabled and explores the historical,...
Deaf Studies
A program that focuses on the sociological, historical and linguistic aspects of the deaf and hearing impaired, and that prepares individuals to work...