Women's Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to exploring the experiences, contributions, and challenges faced by women across time and geography. It examines the social, political, economic, and cultural forces that shape gender roles, identities, and power structures, with a critical focus on the evolution of feminist thought and its global impact.
- Gender and Society: Analyzes how gender constructs influence social institutions, norms, and individual identities within diverse cultural contexts.
- Feminist Theory and Thought: Investigates foundational and contemporary frameworks of feminist philosophy, including intersectionality, postcolonial feminism, and queer theory.
- Women’s History: Traces the historical roles, achievements, and struggles of women in North America and around the world, from pre-modern eras to the present.
- Women in Politics and Policy: Explores the participation of women in governance, activism, and policy-making, with attention to equity, representation, and systemic change.
- Cultural Production and the Arts: Studies literature, film, visual arts, and performance as mediums through which women express identity, resistance, and creativity.
- Global and Transnational Perspectives: Compares women’s experiences across regions, highlighting how race, class, sexuality, and colonialism intersect with gender.
- Work, Labor, and Economics: Addresses the economic roles of women, wage disparities, labor movements, and the gendered division of paid and unpaid work.
Women's Studies Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Women's Studies Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Women's 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 |
Women's 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 Women's Studies by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 100 institutions offering Women's 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 Women's Studies is found at University of Wisconsin-Madison (184 graduates), Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) (61 graduates), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Campus (47 graduates), University of Florida (UF) (45 graduates), and Ohio University (OHIO), Main Campus (39 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 1,891 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 Wisconsin-Madison |
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
|
184 | Madison, Wisconsin | Public | wisc.edu |
| Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) |
Associate's
|
61 | Walnut, California | Public | mtsac.edu |
| University of Pittsburgh |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Post-Master's
Other Award
|
47 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Public | pitt.edu |
| University of Florida (UF) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
45 | Gainesville, Florida | Public | ufl.edu |
| Ohio University (OHIO) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Other Award
|
39 | Athens, Ohio | Public | ohio.edu |
| University of Utah (U of U) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
38 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | utah.edu |
| University of California (UCSC) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
30 | Santa Cruz, California | Public | ucsc.edu |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
30 | New York, New York | Public | gc.cuny.edu |
| University of Delaware (UD) |
Bachelor's
|
26 | Newark, Delaware | Public | udel.edu |
| University of Michigan (U‑M) |
Bachelor's
|
25 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | Public | umich.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
24 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Citrus College |
Associate's
|
23 | Glendora, California | Public | citruscollege.edu |
| University of Kansas (KU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
Other Award
|
23 | Lawrence, Kansas | Public | ku.edu |
| CUNY Hunter College |
Bachelor's
|
23 | New York, New York | Public | hunter.cuny.edu |
| University at Albany (UAlbany) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
23 | Albany, New York | Public | albany.edu |
| Ohio State University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
23 | Columbus, Ohio | Public | osu.edu |
| California State University |
Bachelor's
|
22 | Sacramento, California | Public | csus.edu |
| University of California (UCSB) |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
21 | Santa Barbara, California | Public | ucsb.edu |
| San Jose City College (SJCC) |
Associate's
|
21 | San Jose, California | Public | sjcc.edu |
| George Washington University (GW) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
21 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | gwu.edu |
| University of California (UCB) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Berkeley, California | Public | berkeley.edu |
| Sonoma State University (SSU) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Rohnert Park, California | Public | sonoma.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMCP) |
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Doctorate (Research)
|
20 | College Park, Maryland | Public | umd.edu |
| University of New Hampshire (UNH) |
Bachelor's
|
20 | Durham, New Hampshire | Public | unh.edu |
| University of Colorado Boulder (CU) |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Boulder, Colorado | Public | colorado.edu |
| Smith College |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Northampton, Massachusetts | Private | smith.edu |
| Oregon State University (OSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
19 | Corvallis, Oregon | Public | oregonstate.edu |
| University of Oregon (UO) |
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
|
19 | Eugene, Oregon | Public | uoregon.edu |
| Arizona State University |
Bachelor's
|
19 | Scottsdale, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| West Valley College (WVC) |
Associate's
|
18 | Saratoga, California | Public | westvalley.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
18 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| Grinnell College |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Grinnell, Iowa | Private | grinnell.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
18 | Amherst, Massachusetts | Public | umass.edu |
| Stony Brook University (SBU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Doctorate (Research)
|
18 | Stony Brook, New York | Public | stonybrook.edu |
| Syracuse University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
18 | Syracuse, New York | Private | syracuse.edu |
| Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) |
Bachelor's
|
18 | Richmond, Virginia | Public | vcu.edu |
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
18 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Public | uwm.edu |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
Other Award
|
17 | Tempe, Arizona | Public | asu.edu |
| University of Hawaii (UHM) |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | manoa.hawaii.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Bachelor's
|
17 | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Public | unc.edu |
| University of Wisconsin (UWEC) |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
17 | Eau Claire, Wisconsin | Public | uwec.edu |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | San Diego, California | Public | sdsu.edu |
| University of Connecticut (UConn) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
16 | Storrs, Connecticut | Public | uconn.edu |
| Emory University |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
16 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | emory.edu |
| Spelman College |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Atlanta, Georgia | Private | spelman.edu |
| DePaul University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
16 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | depaul.edu |
| Brandeis University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
16 | Waltham, Massachusetts | Private | brandeis.edu |
| Harvard University |
Bachelor's
|
16 | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Private | harvard.edu |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
16 | Greensboro, North Carolina | Public | uncg.edu |
| Purdue University (PU) |
Bachelor's
|
16 | West Lafayette, Indiana | Public | purdue.edu |
| California State University (CSULB) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Long Beach, California | Public | csulb.edu |
| City College of San Francisco (CCSF) |
Associate's
|
15 | San Francisco, California | Public | ccsf.edu |
| Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
15 | New Haven, Connecticut | Public | southernct.edu |
| University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
Certificate (≥2 yrs)
|
15 | Adelphi, Maryland | Public | umgc.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Boston, Massachusetts | Public | umb.edu |
| Barnard College |
Bachelor's
|
15 | New York, New York | Private | barnard.edu |
| Denison University (DU) |
Bachelor's
|
15 | Granville, Ohio | Private | denison.edu |
| University of Oklahoma (OU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
15 | Norman, Oklahoma | Public | ou.edu |
| Temple University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Other Award
|
15 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Public | temple.edu |
| East Los Angeles College (ELAC) |
Associate's
|
14 | Monterey Park, California | Public | elac.edu |
| Sierra College |
Associate's
|
14 | Rocklin, California | Public | sierracollege.edu |
| Yale University |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
14 | New Haven, Connecticut | Private | yale.edu |
| University of Georgia (UGA) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
14 | Athens, Georgia | Public | uga.edu |
| Illinois State University (ISU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
14 | Normal, Illinois | Public | illinoisstate.edu |
| Minnesota State University |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
14 | Mankato, Minnesota | Public | mnsu.edu |
| University of Rhode Island (URI) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
14 | Kingston, Rhode Island | Public | web.uri.edu |
| The University of Texas |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
14 | Austin, Texas | Public | utexas.edu |
| California State University (CSUF) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Fullerton, California | Public | fullerton.edu |
| Chabot College (CC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
13 | Hayward, California | Public | chabotcollege.edu |
| American University (AU) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
|
13 | Washington, District of Columbia | Private | american.edu |
| Iowa State University (ISU) |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Ames, Iowa | Public | iastate.edu |
| University of Iowa |
Bachelor's
Post-Master's
|
13 | Iowa City, Iowa | Public | uiowa.edu |
| University of Louisville (UofL) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
13 | Louisville, Kentucky | Public | louisville.edu |
| Dartmouth College |
Bachelor's
|
13 | Hanover, New Hampshire | Private | dartmouth.edu |
| Loyola University Chicago (LUC) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
12 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | luc.edu |
| Wellesley College |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Wellesley, Massachusetts | Private | wellesley.edu |
| Wheaton College (Massachusetts) |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Norton, Massachusetts | Private | wheatoncollege.edu |
| Rutgers University |
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | New Brunswick, New Jersey | Public | newbrunswick.rutgers.edu |
| SUNY College |
Bachelor's
|
12 | Plattsburgh, New York | Public | plattsburgh.edu |
| Texas Woman's University (TWU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Research)
|
12 | Denton, Texas | Public | twu.edu |
| University of Wisconsin |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
12 | Whitewater, Wisconsin | Public | uww.edu |
| The University of Alabama (UA) |
Master's
|
11 | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Public | ua.edu |
| University of South Florida (USF) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
11 | Tampa, Florida | Public | usf.edu |
| Williams College |
Bachelor's
|
11 | Williamstown, Massachusetts | Private | williams.edu |
| University of Cincinnati (UC) |
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
11 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Public | uc.edu |
| Texas Tech University (TTU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
11 | Lubbock, Texas | Public | ttu.edu |
| California State University (CSUSM) |
Bachelor's
|
11 | San Marcos, California | Public | csusm.edu |
| University of Arizona |
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
|
10 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | arizona.edu |
| Northern Arizona University (NAU) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Flagstaff, Arizona | Public | nau.edu |
| Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) |
Associate's
|
10 | Sylmar, California | Public | lamission.edu |
| University of Notre Dame (ND) |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Notre Dame, Indiana | Private | nd.edu |
| Pennsylvania State University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | University Park, Pennsylvania | Public | psu.edu |
| Clemson University |
Bachelor's
|
10 | Clemson, South Carolina | Public | clemson.edu |
| American River College (ARC) |
Associate's
|
9 | Sacramento, California | Public | arc.losrios.edu |
| Claremont Graduate University (CGU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
|
9 | Claremont, California | Private | cgu.edu |
| Agnes Scott College |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Decatur, Georgia | Private | agnesscott.edu |
| Ball State University (BSU) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Muncie, Indiana | Public | bsu.edu |
| University of Massachusetts |
Bachelor's
Other Award
|
9 | North Dartmouth, Massachusetts | Public | umassd.edu |
| Gustavus Adolphus College |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Saint Peter, Minnesota | Private | gustavus.edu |
| University of Minnesota (UMN) |
Bachelor's
|
9 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Public | twin-cities.umn.edu |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Women's Studies programs
How much can I earn with a Women's Studies degree?
Salaries for Women's 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 Women's Studies programs?
Currently 331 accredited institutions offer Women's Studies degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Wisconsin-Madison (184 graduates), Mt San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) (61 graduates), and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Campus (47 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 Women's Studies growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 2,381 in 2010 to a peak of 2,807 in 2020, before declining slightly to 2,746 in 2023-24. This represents a 15% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, 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 Women's 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.
Comparative Group Studies
A program that focuses on the comparative study of the history, literature, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of different groups such as racial,...
Ethnic and Cultural Studies
Any instructional program in ethnic, cultural minority, gender, and group studies not listed above.
Other Area and Cultural Studies
Any instructional program in area, ethnic, cultural, gender, or group studies not listed above.
African Studies
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of the African Continent,...
American Studies
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of the United States and its Pre-Columbian and colonial predecessors, and...
Asian Studies
A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the peoples of the Asian Continent,...