A degree in Asian Studies provides a broad base of knowledge that can be applied to any number of possible fields, including international business, commerce, journalism, politics, publishing, the social sciences and teaching at all levels. Some students go on to do postgraduate work in business or law, or continue in Asian Studies. Asian Studies can open up new job possibilities at home and abroad for prospective engineers, health professionals, teachers, and writers of all types.
Many employers in this increasingly interconnected world seek job applicants with an international perspective. As an Asian Studies student, you will gain unique insight into a region of the world that is highly important in world politics, business, and the arts. Your specialized knowledge of Asia will give you an edge in the job market. In addition, an area specialty is an excellent way to lay the groundwork for life-long study of a region, whether as a career or a hobby.
Career Services offers free services for all CU Boulder degree-seeking students, and alumni up to one year after graduation, to help students discover who they are, what they want to do, and how to get there. They are the bridge between academics and the world of work by discussing major and career exploration, internship or job searching, and graduate school preparation.
According to the 2019-20 College Salary Report by PayScale Human Capital:
- the median salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies and 0-5 years of experience is $64,000;
- median salary for 10-plus years of experience, $95,100.

The estimated median salaries,
as reported on Tableau, for Asian Studies graduates for 6 to 10 and over 11 years out from school.
At CU Boulder, Asian Studies graduates earn roughly the same amount as the nationwide average of comparable majors as reported by PayScale. CU Boulder alumni in this discipline earn an estimated annual salary of $88,759, based on a pool of 60 alumni who graduated between 1989 and 2018. This amount is also roughly the same as the average for all CU Boulder graduates with a bachelor's degree, according to a survey by Esmi Alumni Insight of 25,000 alumni who graduated during the same stretch.