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 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.

The dataset contains Academic-year-, Programme- and Course-wise historically compiled data on the Number of International Students who have enrolled in the United States of America (U.S.A) for pursuing various types of Graduate, Under-graduate and OPT courses, along with percentage number of students pursing on each specific type of education

With the enactment of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008, five Predominantly Black Institutions are eligible to receive funding to improve graduate education opportunities at the master’s level in mathematics, engineering, physical or natural sciences, computer science, information technology, nursing, allied health or other scientific disciplines where African American students are underrepresented. Types of Projects Institutions may use federal funds for activities that include: Purchase, rental or lease of scientific or laboratory equipment for educational purposes, including instructional and research purposes; Construction, maintenance, renovation and improvement in classroom, library, laboratory and other instructional facilities, including purchase or rental of telecommunications technology equipment or services; Purchase of library books, periodicals, technical and other scientific journals, microfilm, microfiche, and other educational materials, including telecommunications program materials; Scholarships, fellowships, and other financial assistance for needy graduate students to permit the enrollment of students in, and completion of a master’s degree in mathematics, engineering, physical or natural sciences, computer science, information technology, nursing, allied health, or other scientific disciplines in which African Americans are underrepresented; Establishing or improving a development office to strengthen and increase contributions from alumni and the private sector; Assisting in the establishment or maintenance of an institutional endowment to facilitate financial independence pursuant to Section 331; Funds and administrative management, and the acquisition of equipment, including software, for use in strengthening funds management and management information systems; Acquisition of real property that is adjacent to the campus in connection with the construction, renovation, or improvement of, or an addition to, campus facilities; Education or financial information designed to improve the financial literacy and economic literacy of students or the students’ families, especially with regards to student indebtedness and student assistance programs under title IV; Tutoring, counseling, and student service programs designed to improve academic success; Faculty professional development, faculty exchanges, and faculty participation in professional conferences and meetings; and Other activities proposed in the application that are approved by the Secretary as part of the review and acceptance of such application.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Level - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 25 years and over (CGMDU25O) from Jan 2000 to Feb 2025 about master's degree, 25 years +, tertiary schooling, education, household survey, unemployment, and USA.

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

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

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.

Taiwan Number of Graduate: Master Program data was reported at 54,941.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 55,752.000 Person for 2016. Taiwan Number of Graduate: Master Program data is updated yearly, averaging 2,849.000 Person from Jul 1951 (Median) to 2017, with 67 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60,218.000 Person in 2013 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 1952. Taiwan Number of Graduate: Master Program data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Education. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Taiwan – Table TW.G056: Number of Graduate.

China Number of Graduate: Postgraduate: Master Degree data was reported at 927.629 Person th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 779.845 Person th for 2022. China Number of Graduate: Postgraduate: Master Degree data is updated yearly, averaging 334.613 Person th from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2023, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 927.629 Person th in 2023 and a record low of 38.051 Person th in 1998. China Number of Graduate: Postgraduate: Master Degree data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Education. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GD: No of Graduate: Higher Education: By Region.

During the period between 2013 and 2019, student enrollment in master's programs in Chile increased from 42.07 thousand students in 2013 to 43.35 students in 2019. A year before, this number was equal to 40.94 thousand students.

China Number of New Enrolled Student: Postgraduate: Master Degree data was reported at 1,148.404 Person th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,103.528 Person th for 2022. China Number of New Enrolled Student: Postgraduate: Master Degree data is updated yearly, averaging 474.415 Person th from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2023, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,148.404 Person th in 2023 and a record low of 50.315 Person th in 1997. China Number of New Enrolled Student: Postgraduate: Master Degree data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Education. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GD: No of New Enrolled Student: Higher Education: By Region.

United States - Unemployment Rate: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 65 years and over, Men was 2.70% in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 65 years and over, Men reached a record high of 11.10 in April of 2020 and a record low of 0.70 in July of 2015. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate: College Graduates: Advanced Degree: Master's Degree and Higher, 65 years and over, Men - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 25 to 34 years (CGMD2534) from Jan 2000 to Feb 2025 about master's degree, 25 to 34 years, tertiary schooling, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.

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 Wage and Salary Workers Paid Below Prevailing Federal Minimum Wage: 16 Years and Over: Master's Degree (MADEC4) from 2002 to 2023 about master's degree, paid, minimum wage, tertiary schooling, salaries, workers, 16 years +, education, federal, wages, and USA.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the West population by year. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population trend of West.

Content

The dataset constitues the following datasets

• West, MS Population Dataset: Yearly Figures, Population Change, and Percent Change Analysis

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

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Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 16 years and over was 2.50% in January of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 16 years and over reached a record high of 6.70 in April of 2020 and a record low of 1.00 in May of 2000. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 16 years and over - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on March of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Unemployment Rate - College Graduates - Master's Degree, 16 years and over, Men (CGMD16OM) from Jan 2000 to Feb 2025 about master's degree, males, tertiary schooling, 16 years +, education, unemployment, rate, and USA.