African American Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Q: 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).

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

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)

922

Total Graduates (2023-2024)

170

Universities & Colleges

Career Pathways

Career & Salary Outlook Schools Offering This Program Related Programs

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

Salary Comparison

Data Source: Salary and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2024 estimates, based on 1 related occupation. Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics.

*Salary Range Explanation: The salary range represents the 10th to 90th percentile, meaning 80% of workers in this occupation earn within this range. This excludes the lowest 10% and highest 10% of earners to provide a more realistic picture of typical compensation.

Important Disclaimer: Salary data represents national averages and varies by location, experience, employer, and market conditions. These statistics are estimates for general guidance and do not guarantee specific employment outcomes for graduates.

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	Admissions	Location	Control	Website
University of California (UCLA)	Bachelor's Master's	42	N/A	Los Angeles, California	Public	ucla.edu
Yale University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	28	SAT: 1500-1580 ACT: 33-35	New Haven, Connecticut	Private	yale.edu
Georgia State University	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's	23	SAT: 1040-1280 ACT: 19-26	Atlanta, Georgia	Public	gsu.edu
Temple University	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	21	N/A	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Public	temple.edu
University of Virginia (UVA)	Bachelor's	21	SAT: 1410-1530 ACT: 32-34	Charlottesville, Virginia	Public	virginia.edu
Wesleyan University	Bachelor's	19	SAT: 1450-1540 ACT: 33-35	Middletown, Connecticut	Private	wesleyan.edu
University of California (UCB)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	18	N/A	Berkeley, California	Public	berkeley.edu
California State University (CSUN)	Bachelor's	17	N/A	Northridge, California	Public	csun.edu
Harvard University	Bachelor's Doctorate (R)	17	SAT: 1500-1580 ACT: 34-36	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Private	harvard.edu
Princeton University	Bachelor's	15	SAT: 1500-1580 ACT: 34-35	Princeton, New Jersey	Private	princeton.edu
University of Wisconsin-Madison	Bachelor's Other Award	15	SAT: 1360-1510 ACT: 28-32	Madison, Wisconsin	Public	wisc.edu
University of California (UCD)	Bachelor's	14	N/A	Davis, California	Public	ucdavis.edu
Howard University (HU)	Bachelor's	14	SAT: 1100-1298 ACT: 22-28	Washington, District of Columbia	Private	howard.edu
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	14	SAT: 1110-1320 ACT: 21-27	Charlotte, North Carolina	Public	charlotte.edu
Florida International University (FIU)	Postbac Cert. Master's	13	SAT: 1060-1250 ACT: 20-26	Miami, Florida	Public	fiu.edu
Amherst College	Bachelor's	13	SAT: 1360-1550 ACT: 31-35	Amherst, Massachusetts	Private	amherst.edu
Ohio State University	Bachelor's	13	SAT: 1330-1480 ACT: 29-32	Columbus, Ohio	Public	osu.edu
San Francisco State University (SFSU)	Bachelor's	12	N/A	San Francisco, California	Public	sfsu.edu
Northwestern University	Bachelor's Postbac Cert. Master's Doctorate (R)	12	SAT: 1490-1560 ACT: 33-35	Evanston, Illinois	Private	northwestern.edu
University at Albany (UAlbany)	Bachelor's Master's	12	N/A	Albany, New York	Public	albany.edu
University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)	Bachelor's	12	SAT: 1100-1280 ACT: 22-27	Greensboro, North Carolina	Public	uncg.edu
The University of Texas	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	12	SAT: 1230-1490 ACT: 27-33	Austin, Texas	Public	utexas.edu
University of Massachusetts	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	11	SAT: 1300-1480 ACT: 29-33	Amherst, Massachusetts	Public	umass.edu
Dartmouth College	Bachelor's	11	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 33-35	Hanover, New Hampshire	Private	dartmouth.edu
Columbia University in the City of New York	Bachelor's Master's	11	SAT: 1490-1570 ACT: 34-35	New York, New York	Private	columbia.edu
SUNY Brockport	Bachelor's	11	SAT: 1070-1240 ACT: 18-26	Brockport, New York	Public	brockport.edu
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Bachelor's	11	SAT: 1370-1530 ACT: 30-34	Chapel Hill, North Carolina	Public	unc.edu
Oberlin College	Bachelor's	11	SAT: 1370-1510 ACT: 30-33	Oberlin, Ohio	Private	oberlin.edu
Pennsylvania State University	Bachelor's	10	SAT: 1220-1400 ACT: 27-32	University Park, Pennsylvania	Public	psu.edu
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)	Bachelor's	10	SAT: 1030-1270 ACT: 22-30	Richmond, Virginia	Public	vcu.edu
Indiana University (IUB)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	9	SAT: 1170-1400 ACT: 27-32	Bloomington, Indiana	Public	indiana.edu
Wayne State University (WSU)	Bachelor's	9	SAT: 1040-1260 ACT: 21-28	Detroit, Michigan	Public	wayne.edu
University of Pittsburgh	Bachelor's Other Award	9	SAT: 1270-1450 ACT: 29-33	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Public	pitt.edu
University of Maryland (UMCP)	Certificate (≥2 yrs) Bachelor's	8	SAT: 1370-1520 ACT: 32-35	College Park, Maryland	Public	umd.edu
Smith College	Bachelor's	8	SAT: 1408-1540 ACT: 32-34	Northampton, Massachusetts	Private	smith.edu
Cornell University	Bachelor's Doctorate (R)	8	SAT: 1480-1560 ACT: 33-35	Ithaca, New York	Private	cornell.edu
The University of Alabama (UA)	Bachelor's	7	SAT: 1170-1400 ACT: 24-31	Tuscaloosa, Alabama	Public	ua.edu
University of California (UCSB)	Bachelor's	7	N/A	Santa Barbara, California	Public	ucsb.edu
Loyola Marymount University (LMU)	Bachelor's	7	N/A	Los Angeles, California	Private	lmu.edu
Emory University	Bachelor's	7	SAT: 1460-1550 ACT: 32-34	Atlanta, Georgia	Private	emory.edu
Morgan State University (MSU)	Master's	7	SAT: 860-1080 ACT: 17-21	Baltimore, Maryland	Public	morgan.edu
Brandeis University	Bachelor's	7	SAT: 1390-1530 ACT: 31-34	Waltham, Massachusetts	Private	brandeis.edu
University of Michigan (U‑M)	Bachelor's Post-Master's	7	SAT: 1350-1530 ACT: 31-34	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Public	umich.edu
CUNY Lehman College	Bachelor's	7	SAT: 860-1220	Bronx, New York	Public	lehman.edu
San Diego State University (SDSU)	Bachelor's	6	N/A	San Diego, California	Public	sdsu.edu
San Jose State University (SJSU)	Bachelor's	6	N/A	San Jose, California	Public	sjsu.edu
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU)	Bachelor's	6	SAT: 1030-1150 ACT: 20-24	Tallahassee, Florida	Public	famu.edu
Boston College (BC)	Bachelor's	6	SAT: 1430-1540 ACT: 33-34	Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts	Private	bc.edu
Wellesley College	Bachelor's	6	SAT: 1440-1550 ACT: 33-35	Wellesley, Massachusetts	Private	wellesley.edu
Washington University in St Louis (WashU)	Bachelor's	6	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 33-35	Saint Louis, Missouri	Private	wustl.edu
New York University (NYU)	Bachelor's Master's	6	SAT: 1480-1570 ACT: 33-35	New York, New York	Private	nyu.edu
State University of New York	Bachelor's	6	SAT: 1170-1340 ACT: 24-29	New Paltz, New York	Public	newpaltz.edu
University of Pennsylvania (Penn)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	6	SAT: 1500-1570 ACT: 34-35	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Private	upenn.edu
University of Puget Sound (UPS)	Bachelor's	6	SAT: 1185-1390 ACT: 27-31	Tacoma, Washington	Private	pugetsound.edu
California State University	Bachelor's	5	N/A	Fresno, California	Public	fresnostate.edu
Occidental College (Oxy)	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 1360-1500 ACT: 31-34	Los Angeles, California	Private	oxy.edu
University of Delaware (UD)	Bachelor's Master's	5	SAT: 1200-1360 ACT: 27-31	Newark, Delaware	Public	udel.edu
Georgetown University (GU)	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 1390-1550 ACT: 32-34	Washington, District of Columbia	Private	georgetown.edu
University of Florida (UF)	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 1300-1480 ACT: 28-33	Gainesville, Florida	Public	ufl.edu
University of Georgia (UGA)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	5	SAT: 1160-1390 ACT: 25-32	Athens, Georgia	Public	uga.edu
University of Iowa	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 1130-1320 ACT: 22-28	Iowa City, Iowa	Public	uiowa.edu
Berea College	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 1156-1335 ACT: 24-27	Berea, Kentucky	Private	berea.edu
Eastern Michigan University (EMU)	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 910-1170 ACT: 18-26	Ypsilanti, Michigan	Public	emich.edu
William Paterson University of New Jersey	Bachelor's	5	N/A	Wayne, New Jersey	Public	wpunj.edu
CUNY Brooklyn College	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 1140-1420	Brooklyn, New York	Public	brooklyn.cuny.edu
Fordham University	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 1330-1490 ACT: 30-33	Bronx, New York	Private	fordham.edu
Cleveland State University (CSU)	Bachelor's	5	ACT: 17-25	Cleveland, Ohio	Public	csuohio.edu
Sinclair Community College	Other Award	5	N/A	Dayton, Ohio	Public	sinclair.edu
University of Oklahoma (OU)	Bachelor's	5	SAT: 1140-1330 ACT: 23-29	Norman, Oklahoma	Public	ou.edu
Portland State University (PSU)	Bachelor's Other Award	5	N/A	Portland, Oregon	Public	pdx.edu
Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU)	Bachelor's Other Award	4	N/A	Tempe, Arizona	Public	asu.edu
University of Southern California (USC)	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1440-1550 ACT: 32-35	Los Angeles, California	Private	usc.edu
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1270-1510 ACT: 29-34	Champaign, Illinois	Public	illinois.edu
Lake Forest College	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1170-1365 ACT: 28-31	Lake Forest, Illinois	Private	lakeforest.edu
University of Louisville (UofL)	Bachelor's Master's Doctorate (R)	4	SAT: 1020-1250 ACT: 19-27	Louisville, Kentucky	Public	louisville.edu
Bates College	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1400-1510 ACT: 31-33	Lewiston, Maine	Private	bates.edu
Williams College	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1470-1560 ACT: 33-35	Williamstown, Massachusetts	Private	williams.edu
University of Nebraska (UNO)	Bachelor's	4	ACT: 18-26	Omaha, Nebraska	Public	unomaha.edu
University of Nevada (UNLV)	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 980-1230 ACT: 18-24	Las Vegas, Nevada	Public	unlv.edu
Rutgers University	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1270-1480 ACT: 28-33	New Brunswick, New Jersey	Public	newbrunswick.rutgers.edu
CUNY Graduate School and University Center	Postbac Cert.	4	N/A	New York, New York	Public	gc.cuny.edu
Binghamton University	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1320-1490 ACT: 29-34	Vestal, New York	Public	binghamton.edu
Denison University (DU)	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1300-1470 ACT: 29-32	Granville, Ohio	Private	denison.edu
College of Charleston (CofC)	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1130-1300 ACT: 24-29	Charleston, South Carolina	Public	cofc.edu
University of Memphis (UofM)	Bachelor's Postbac Cert.	4	SAT: 905-1205 ACT: 17-24	Memphis, Tennessee	Public	memphis.edu
The University of Tennessee	Postbac Cert.	4	SAT: 1190-1340 ACT: 25-31	Knoxville, Tennessee	Public	utk.edu
Stanford University	Bachelor's	4	SAT: 1510-1580 ACT: 34-35	Stanford, California	Private	stanford.edu
University of Arizona	Bachelor's	3	SAT: 1160-1420 ACT: 21-30	Tucson, Arizona	Public	arizona.edu
University of Arkansas (U of A)	Postbac Cert.	3	SAT: 1050-1220 ACT: 21-28	Fayetteville, Arkansas	Public	uark.edu
California State University (CSUDH)	Bachelor's	3	N/A	Carson, California	Public	csudh.edu
California State University	Bachelor's	3	N/A	Los Angeles, California	Public	calstatela.edu
University of California (UCI)	Bachelor's	3	N/A	Irvine, California	Public	uci.edu
University of California (UCSD)	Bachelor's	3	N/A	La Jolla, California	Public	ucsd.edu
Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver)	Bachelor's	3	SAT: 880-1110 ACT: 17-23	Denver, Colorado	Public	msudenver.edu
American University (AU)	Bachelor's	3	SAT: 1300-1450 ACT: 29-33	Washington, District of Columbia	Private	american.edu
University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)	Bachelor's	3	SAT: 1120-1340 ACT: 25-32	Chicago, Illinois	Public	uic.edu
Indiana University (IU Indianapolis)	Bachelor's	3	SAT: 1040-1230 ACT: 21-28	Indianapolis, Indiana	Public	indianapolis.iu.edu
University of Notre Dame (ND)	Bachelor's	3	SAT: 1440-1540 ACT: 33-35	Notre Dame, Indiana	Private	nd.edu
Johns Hopkins University (JHU)	Bachelor's	3	SAT: 1530-1580 ACT: 34-35	Baltimore, Maryland	Private	jhu.edu
University of Massachusetts	Bachelor's	3	SAT: 1080-1290 ACT: 24-30	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.

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