MAJORS · 64 OF 115 SUBFIELDS BY ROI
Is a global studies degree worth it?
Part of Miscellaneous — see the whole category’s numbers.
On average, yes — the mean lifetime ROI is +$298,057. But the spread is the real story.
MEAN LIFETIME ROI · FREOPP 2021 · COHORT-WEIGHTED
+$298,057
across 97 bachelor’s programs · 7,379 graduates
MEDIAN GRADUATE
+$226K
MIDDLE 50% LAND BETWEEN
+$39K ⟷ +$421K
NEVER BREAK EVEN
17.4%
MEDIAN BREAK-EVEN AGE
34
ADJUSTED FOR REAL COMPLETION RATES
+$184K
IF YOU DROP OUT
−$108K
Questions
- Is a global studies degree worth it?
- On average yes — across 97 U.S. bachelor’s programs (FREOPP 2021, cohort-weighted), the mean lifetime ROI for Global Studies is +$298,057 and the median is +$225,689. 17.4% of graduates in this field never break even on the degree. The honest answer depends heavily on the specific program and school: the middle half of graduates land between +$38,806 and +$421,457.
- How long until a global studies degree pays off?
- Among Global Studies programs that do break even, the median graduate crosses into positive ROI at age 34 (FREOPP 2021). 17.4% of graduates in the field are in programs that never break even at all.
- Does the school matter for a global studies major?
- Enormously. The middle 50% of Global Studies graduates span +$38,806 to +$421,457 — a +$383K spread within one major. The same field can be a strong trade at one school and a losing one at another, which is why the per-school number matters more than the field average.
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Cite this:
LE TEEN (2026). “Global Studies: lifetime ROI statistics.” Data: FREOPP 2021. https://le-teen.com/majors/global-studies