Best Schools for Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies graduates earn a median of $52,064 within four years of graduating, ranking #231 out of 283 tracked majors — 17% below the median across all fields. There are 133 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 3,620 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Brandeis University graduates earn $73,256 while Spelman College graduates earn $25,137 — a $48,119 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is modest: Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies graduates see an average 2% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

133
Schools
$52,064
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#231
of 283 Majors
3,620
Graduates

Public vs Private: Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

Public (101 schools)
$51,563
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (32 schools)
$54,282
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $2,719 more in early earnings on average for Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies by State

Also by state: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington DC, Wisconsin

Top Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
Brandeis University logo

Brandeis University

Waltham, MA · Private

$73,256
4yr Earnings
21 grads · small sample
2yr: $31,423 (15)
1yr: $34,857 (23)
Acceptance: 35.3%
#2
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus logo

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus

University Park, PA · Public

$72,063
4yr Earnings
16 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 54.2%
#3
University of California-Berkeley logo

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

$67,291
4yr Earnings
68 grads
2yr: $40,458 (42)
1yr: $26,348 (48)
Acceptance: 11.7%
#4
Yale University logo

Yale University

New Haven, CT · Private

$65,213
4yr Earnings
24 grads · small sample
2yr: $35,060 (15)
1yr: $37,910 (25)
Acceptance: 4.5%
#5
Wheaton College (Massachusetts) logo

Wheaton College (Massachusetts)

Norton, MA · Private

$64,701
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
2yr: $32,925 (31)
1yr: $39,761 (25)
Acceptance: 71.3%
#6
University of Notre Dame logo

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN · Private

$64,152
4yr Earnings
16 grads · small sample
2yr: $35,060 (13)
Acceptance: 12.4%
#7
Sonoma State University logo

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA · Public

$64,116
4yr Earnings
42 grads
2yr: $37,208 (26)
1yr: $28,618 (23)
Acceptance: 94.7%
#8
American University logo

American University

Washington, DC · Private

$63,553
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
2yr: $29,685 (15)
Acceptance: 47.4%
#9
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor logo

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI · Public

$63,426
4yr Earnings
60 grads
2yr: $24,421 (65)
1yr: $26,586 (64)
Acceptance: 17.9%
#10
University of Delaware logo

University of Delaware

Newark, DE · Public

$61,443
4yr Earnings
39 grads
1yr: $30,432 (43)
Acceptance: 65.1%
#11
San Francisco State University logo

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$59,990
4yr Earnings
109 grads
2yr: $35,653 (95)
1yr: $35,417 (106)
Acceptance: 96.2%
#12
Mount Holyoke College logo

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, MA · Private

$59,843
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
2yr: $30,409 (15)
1yr: $31,984 (23)
Acceptance: 38.3%
#13
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus logo

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

Durham, NH · Public

$59,567
4yr Earnings
22 grads · small sample
2yr: $26,739 (24)
1yr: $22,719 (25)
Acceptance: 86.9%
#14
University of Maryland-College Park logo

University of Maryland-College Park

College Park, MD · Public

$59,461
4yr Earnings
23 grads · small sample
2yr: $35,060 (40)
1yr: $37,951 (27)
Acceptance: 44.8%
#15
Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

$59,372
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
2yr: $29,685 (17)
Acceptance: 7.1%
#16
DePaul University logo

DePaul University

Chicago, IL · Private

$59,016
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 73.5%
#17
University of California-Santa Barbara logo

University of California-Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA · Public

$59,004
4yr Earnings
89 grads
2yr: $33,281 (70)
1yr: $28,971 (89)
Acceptance: 27.8%
#18
Emory University logo

Emory University

Atlanta, GA · Private

$58,745
4yr Earnings
23 grads · small sample
1yr: $33,649 (24)
Acceptance: 11.1%
#19
University of California-Davis logo

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

$58,670
4yr Earnings
189 grads
2yr: $32,284 (129)
1yr: $30,450 (157)
Acceptance: 41.6%
#20
University of Virginia-Main Campus logo

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

$57,646
4yr Earnings
43 grads
2yr: $30,771 (20)
1yr: $34,027 (36)
Acceptance: 16.9%
#21
University of Washington-Seattle Campus logo

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public

$57,534
4yr Earnings
62 grads
2yr: $31,423 (110)
1yr: $29,213 (80)
Acceptance: 42.5%
#22
University of Washington-Bothell Campus logo

University of Washington-Bothell Campus

Bothell, WA · Public

$57,534
4yr Earnings
62 grads
2yr: $31,423 (110)
1yr: $29,213 (80)
Acceptance: 91.8%
#23
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus logo

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Tacoma, WA · Public

$57,534
4yr Earnings
62 grads
2yr: $31,423 (110)
1yr: $29,213 (80)
Acceptance: 83.0%
#24
The University of Texas at Austin logo

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX · Public

$57,292
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $33,459 (34)
1yr: $32,606 (45)
Acceptance: 29.1%
#25
California State University-East Bay logo

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA · Public

$57,145
4yr Earnings
20 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 96.8%
#26
CUNY Lehman College logo

CUNY Lehman College

Bronx, NY · Public

$56,907
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $25,194 (13)
Acceptance: 55.4%
#27
Washington State University logo

Washington State University

Pullman, WA · Public

$56,880
4yr Earnings
21 grads · small sample
2yr: $16,236 (12)
1yr: $27,015 (27)
Acceptance: 85.4%
#28
University of California-Riverside logo

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA · Public

$56,555
4yr Earnings
54 grads
2yr: $26,121 (48)
1yr: $22,490 (35)
Acceptance: 63.3%
#29
California State University-Sacramento logo

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public

$56,188
4yr Earnings
64 grads
2yr: $32,569 (43)
1yr: $24,798 (67)
Acceptance: 93.6%
#30
CUNY Brooklyn College logo

CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn, NY · Public

$56,138
4yr Earnings
90 grads
2yr: $33,138 (83)
1yr: $32,570 (117)
Acceptance: 53.7%
#31
California State University-Los Angeles logo

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$55,970
4yr Earnings
16 grads · small sample
1yr: $21,426 (16)
Acceptance: 91.9%
#32
University of California-Santa Cruz logo

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA · Public

$55,798
4yr Earnings
123 grads
2yr: $28,598 (106)
1yr: $29,282 (119)
Acceptance: 62.5%
#33
Columbia University in the City of New York logo

Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY · Private

$55,472
4yr Earnings
26 grads · small sample
2yr: $46,087 (17)
1yr: $41,618 (25)
Acceptance: 4.2%
#34
San Diego State University logo

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

$55,230
4yr Earnings
47 grads
2yr: $26,715 (11)
1yr: $35,249 (34)
Acceptance: 34.4%
#35
University of Southern California logo

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$55,208
4yr Earnings
18 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 10.0%
#36
Rutgers University-Camden logo

Rutgers University-Camden

Camden, NJ · Public

$55,164
4yr Earnings
71 grads
2yr: $20,140 (25)
1yr: $23,314 (60)
Acceptance: 77.8%
#37
Rutgers University-New Brunswick logo

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ · Public

$55,164
4yr Earnings
71 grads
2yr: $20,140 (25)
1yr: $23,314 (60)
Acceptance: 65.3%
#38
Rutgers University-Newark logo

Rutgers University-Newark

Newark, NJ · Public

$55,164
4yr Earnings
71 grads
2yr: $20,140 (25)
1yr: $23,314 (60)
Acceptance: 78.7%
#39
University of California-Los Angeles logo

University of California-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

$55,088
4yr Earnings
290 grads
2yr: $28,682 (173)
1yr: $26,296 (210)
Acceptance: 8.7%
#40
Loyola Marymount University logo

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$54,897
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
1yr: $29,818 (16)
Acceptance: 40.3%
#41
University of North Carolina at Charlotte logo

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC · Public

$54,798
4yr Earnings
38 grads
2yr: $31,581 (40)
1yr: $29,185 (31)
Acceptance: 80.2%
#42
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill logo

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC · Public

$54,691
4yr Earnings
47 grads
2yr: $26,585 (21)
1yr: $29,499 (53)
Acceptance: 18.7%
#43
St Olaf College logo

St Olaf College

Northfield, MN · Private

$54,100
4yr Earnings
17 grads · small sample
Acceptance: 52.1%
#44
University of Oregon logo

University of Oregon

Eugene, OR · Public

$54,057
4yr Earnings
39 grads
2yr: $24,808 (39)
1yr: $27,374 (29)
Acceptance: 85.1%
#45
University of Massachusetts-Boston logo

University of Massachusetts-Boston

Boston, MA · Public

$53,509
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $39,009 (22)
1yr: $30,372 (25)
Acceptance: 83.0%
#46
University of California-San Diego logo

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public

$53,319
4yr Earnings
33 grads
2yr: $24,035 (23)
1yr: $30,287 (42)
Acceptance: 24.5%
#47
Metropolitan State University of Denver logo

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO · Public

$52,747
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
1yr: $34,350 (28)
Acceptance: 99.1%
#48
Grand Valley State University logo

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI · Public

$51,872
4yr Earnings
19 grads · small sample
2yr: $28,381 (18)
1yr: $33,497 (22)
Acceptance: 94.7%
#49
University of Florida logo

University of Florida

Gainesville, FL · Public

$51,791
4yr Earnings
53 grads
2yr: $23,803 (30)
1yr: $29,990 (39)
Acceptance: 24.0%
#50
CUNY Hunter College logo

CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY · Public

$51,569
4yr Earnings
25 grads · small sample
2yr: $24,035 (27)
1yr: $39,111 (19)
Acceptance: 54.0%

Showing top 50 of 133 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies?
Brandeis University ranks #1 for Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies with median graduate earnings of $73,256 within four years of graduating. There are 133 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies graduates earn?
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies graduates earn an average of $52,064 within four years of graduating. This is 17% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $25,137 to $73,256 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies program?
The average acceptance rate across Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies programs is 61.2%. The most selective program is at Harvard University with a 3.5% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies?
Private Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies programs average $54,282 in early earnings vs $51,563 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders, from the field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release — Scorecard publishes the two separately.

Get Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies Career Insights

We're building major-specific salary reports with ROI by school. Be the first to get yours.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.