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International Comparative Education

A program that focuses on the educational phenomena, practices, and institutions within different societies and states in a comparative perspective, and the study of international educational issues. Includes instruction in comparative research methods, country- or area-specific studies, cross-national studies of learning and teaching styles, international educational policy and development, and analyses of educational migration patterns and experiences.

Types of Degrees International Comparative Education Majors Are Earning

Those studying International Comparative Education may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	24
Master’s Degree	227
Doctor’s Degree	22

Who Is Earning a Degree in International Comparative Education?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 79.1% of International Comparative Education degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	216	79.1%
Men	57	20.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of International Comparative Education graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	115	42.1%
Asian	23	8.4%
Hispanic or Latino	19	7.0%
Black or African American	14	5.1%
Two or More Races	7	2.6%
Race Unknown	23	8.4%
International Students	72	26.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do International Comparative Education Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of International Comparative Education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$58,060
4 years	$70,739
5 years	$76,632

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $76,632 — roughly 32% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online International Comparative Education Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for International Comparative Education. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	2	5

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in International Comparative Education Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, International Comparative Education graduates earn a median of $70,739 four years after completion — roughly 86% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
International and Comparative Education	273

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.