Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 25 years and over, Men (CGAD25OM) from Dec 2014 to Jun 2025 about master's degree, males, 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, rate, and USA.

In the academic year of 2020/21, about 202,334 Master's degrees were earned in business across the United States, making it the most common master's degree earned. In that same year, another 47,257 Master's degrees were earned in engineering.

In the academic year of 2022, it is expected that 551,460 female and 331,530 male students will earn a Master’s degree in the United States. These figures are a significant increase from the academic year of 1950, when 16,980 female students and 41,220 male students earned a Master’s degree.

What is a Master’s degree?

A Master’s degree is an academic degree granted by universities after finishing a Bachelor’s degree. Master’s degrees focus in on a specific field and are more specialized than a Bachelor’s. A typical Master’s program is about two years long, with the final semester focusing on the thesis. Master’s degree programs are usually harder to get into than Bachelor’s degree programs, due to the rigor of the program. Because these programs are so competitive, those with a Master’s degree are typically paid more than those with a Bachelor’s degree.

Master’s degrees in the United States

The number of master’s degrees granted in the United States has steadily increased since the 1970s and is expected to continue to increase. In 2021, the Master’s degree program with the worst job prospects in the United States by mid-career median pay was counseling, while the program with the best job prospects was a physician's assistant.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 55 to 64 years, Women (CGMDUW5564) from Jan 2000 to Jun 2025 about master's degree, 55 to 64 years, females, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

In order to encourage academic and related research on gender equality education and improve the academic standards of the above-mentioned topics, the Ministry of Education has formulated the "Key Points for the Ministry of Education to Award Master's and Doctoral Thesis and Journal Papers on Gender Equality Education" for awards.

About 3,785 master's degrees were earned in the United States by American Indian or Alaskan Native students in the academic year of 2020/2021. Additionally, 460,320 master's degrees were earned by white students, and 98,246 were earned by Black students.

The Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering survey is an annual census of all U.S. academic institutions granting research-based master's degrees or doctorates in science, engineering, and selected health fields as of fall of the survey year. The survey, sponsored by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics within the National Science Foundation and by the National Institutes of Health, collects the total number of master's and doctoral students, postdoctoral appointees, and doctorate-level nonfaculty researchers by demographic and other characteristics such as source of financial support. Results are used to assess shifts in graduate enrollment and postdoc appointments and trends in financial support.

Graph and download economic data for Civilian Labor Force: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 16 to 17 years (CGADL1617) from May 2015 to Jun 2025 about 16 to 17 years, master's degree, tertiary schooling, civilian, education, labor force, labor, household survey, and USA.

Japan Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative data was reported at 2.490 % in 2020. Japan Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 2.490 % from Dec 2020 (Median) to 2020, with 1 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.490 % in 2020 and a record low of 2.490 % in 2020. Japan Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Master's or equivalent.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;

Belgium BE: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Male: % Cumulative data was reported at 18.704 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 19.239 % for 2021. Belgium BE: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Male: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 15.900 % from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2022, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.239 % in 2021 and a record low of 0.000 % in 2012. Belgium BE: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Male: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Master's or equivalent.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;

United States US: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data was reported at 11.995 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 11.765 % for 2014. United States US: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 11.765 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.995 % in 2015 and a record low of 11.566 % in 2013. United States US: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Master's or equivalent.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

The dataset contains Academic-year-wise historically compiled data on the total number of Indian students who enrolled for Undergraduate, Graduate, Non-Degree and Optional Practical Training (OPT) courses in the United States of America (USA).

Graph and download economic data for Civilian Labor Force - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 25 years and over (CGMDL25O) from Jan 2000 to Jun 2025 about master's degree, 25 years +, tertiary schooling, civilian, education, labor force, labor, household survey, and USA.

This data comes from the HEA's Student Record System (SRS). These are annual returns submitted to the HEA by each of the HEA-funded higher education institutions in Ireland. For further information, please visit www.hea.ie/statistics.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 16 to 19 years, Men (CGMDUM1619) from May 2008 to May 2025 about master's degree, 16 to 19 years, males, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

In 2024, about ****** master's degrees were awarded in South Korea, showing a slight increase from the previous year. The overall number of graduates receiving master's degrees has increased over the past few years.

Rwanda RW: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data was reported at 0.115 % in 2012. Rwanda RW: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 0.115 % from Dec 2012 (Median) to 2012, with 1 observations. Rwanda RW: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Rwanda – Table RW.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Master's or equivalent.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

Laos Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative: Male data was reported at 0.879 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.458 % for 2017. Laos Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 0.879 % from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2022, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.828 % in 2010 and a record low of 0.458 % in 2017. Laos Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: % Cumulative: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Laos – Table LA.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Master's or equivalent.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;

In 2021, the District of Columbia had the most highly educated population in the United States, with **** percent of the population over the age of 25 having an advanced degree. Massachusetts had the next most educated population, with **** percent of residents having an advanced degree. For the United States as a whole, this figure stood at **** percent of the population.

An advanced degree includes graduate and professional degrees.

AU: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data was reported at 9.483 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 10.030 % for 2022. AU: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 7.910 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2023, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.030 % in 2022 and a record low of 5.620 % in 2013. AU: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Master's or equivalent.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;