In the academic year of 2021/22, about 880,250 students were awarded a Master's degree in the United States. This figure is projected to increase by the academic year of 2031/32, when it is forecasted that 1,000,460 students will be awarded a Master's degree.

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 Rate - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 25 years and over (CGMD25O) from Jan 2000 to Jul 2025 about master's degree, 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, 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.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 55 to 64 years (CGADU5564) from Dec 2014 to Jul 2025 about master's degree, 55 to 64 years, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 16 years and over, Women (CGADUW16O) from Dec 2014 to Jul 2025 about master's degree, females, tertiary schooling, education, 16 years +, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 45 to 54 years, Women (CGADUW4554) from Dec 2014 to Jun 2025 about 45 to 54 years, master's degree, females, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

In 2023, approximately *** million people in Bangladesh had a Master's or equivalent level degree. In the same year, Indonesia recorded around *** million Master's degree holders.

Graduation rates, average time to graduation and number of students in an entry cohort for master's degree students, within Canada, by demographic characteristics.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 20 to 24 years, Men (CGMDUM2024) from Jan 2000 to Jul 2025 about master's degree, 20 to 24 years, tertiary schooling, males, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

The number of master's degree graduates (or equivalent) in Canada decreased to 72,471 numbers compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the last two years recorded a significantly higher number than the preceding years.

Graduation of master's degree students, within the field of study grouping (Variant of the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Canada 2021 Version 1.0 for Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and Business, humanities, health, arts, social science and education (BHASE) groupings) and province or territory of first enrolment, by demographic characteristics. The STEM grouping includes fields of study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and computer sciences. The BHASE grouping includes fields of study in business, humanities, health, arts, social science, education, legal studies, trades, services, natural resources and conservation.

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.

Proportion of students who started in a master's degree program and graduated with a different educational qualification, within Canada, by demographic characteristics.

Education and further studies: refers to various learning, education, and related information collections

Weighted average tuition fees by field of study for full-time Canadian graduate students. Data are collected from all publicly funded Canadian degree-granting institutions.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 25 years and over, Women (CGMD25OW) from Jan 2000 to Jul 2025 about master's degree, females, 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.

The number of people completing a master's degree in Denmark increased from 2012 to 2016 and remained relatively stable since. Moreover, both the number of people originating from western countries and non-western countries completing a master's degree increased. In 2022, ***** people from western countries and ***** from non-western countries finished a master's degree in Denmark.

Number of Canadian students in a master's degree entry cohort belonging to a visible minority group, by student characteristics.

Abstract: Introduction: This work offers a succinct retrospective of the Brazilian stricto sensu graduate program and elucidates the current quantitative panorama of the evaluative sub-areas of Medicine. Objective: This study aimed to outline a critical panorama of medical Graduate Program. Method: The method addressed here includes a review of the regulations that led to the formation of the Brazilian stricto sensu graduate programs and a categorization and statistical analysis of data provided by CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel), complemented by information from the Sucupira Platform and the latest census published by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, focusing on the evaluative areas of Medicine. Result: It was observed that in June 2019, Brazil reached 4,590 Graduate Programs, of which 262 programs were distributed in the evaluative areas of Medicine. Based on this quantity, tables, images and graphs are presented that show different aspects of the National Graduate System. Conclusion: With regard to the National Graduate System, the expansion and growth of graduate studies are described as a strong point, whereas the characteristics of regional asymmetries are indicated as a shortcoming. In view of the sub-areas of medicine, the characteristics of each evaluation area are highlighted, including relationships between modalities, levels and Graduate Program, and scores. Finally, the view persists that, in addition to the number of Graduate Program, and their respective scores, a qualitative panorama should consider indicators such as scientific production and social impact, themes to be addressed in future studies, using specific methodological data and tools.