Gender Studies Degree in Irvine, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Gender Studies degree analysis for Irvine, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$55K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$60K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
8.2 yrs
in Irvine
Cost of Living
109
index (100 = avg)
Gender Studies in Irvine, CA Overview
Irvine is one of California's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 16,104. Public tuition averages $13,752/year here — near the national average for public universities. Although national enrollment in Gender Studies has been declining, graduates with skills in Critical Theory and Research Methods remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Irvine is approximately $54,500.
Category
Humanities
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$13,752/yr
Private Tuition
$33,606/yr
Room & Board
$19,564/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,909/yr
Unemployment
3.8%
Graduation Rate
46%
Gender Studies Salary in Irvine (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Irvine's cost of living index of 109 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Gender Studies salary: $50,000 starting, $55,000 mid-career, $68,000 senior level.Irvine adjustment factor: 1.09x based on the local cost of living index.
Gender Studies ROI Calculator for Irvine
Estimate your return on investment for a Gender Studies degree using local Irvine tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,752 | Private avg: $33,606
Irvine avg aid: $8,909/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$133,264
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,350
vs HS diploma in Irvine
ROI Payback Period
8.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Irvine
$8,436
Lifetime earnings premium ($141,700) minus total education cost ($133,264)
Student Loan Payoff for Gender Studies in Irvine
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Irvine for Gender Studies
University of California, Irvine
public
$13,752/yr
$55,008 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Irvine Valley College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Gender Studies in Irvine
Irvine offers opportunities in Publishing, Non-profits, Education for Gender Studies graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Irvine Hiring Sectors for Humanities
Publishing
Non-profits
Education
Media companies
Government
Common Gender Studies Job Titles
Gender Studies in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$71K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$70K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$65K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$57K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$59K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$56K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$58K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$66K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other Humanities Majors in Irvine
Chinese Studies
$60K starting · 4 yr ROI
Linguistics
$55K starting · 5.5 yr ROI
Philosophy
$48K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
Foreign Languages & Literatures
$55K starting · 6.5 yr ROI
English
$46K starting · 7 yr ROI
History
$48K starting · 7.5 yr ROI
Classical Studies
$49K starting · 6 yr ROI
Classics
$55K starting · 8 yr ROI
Gender Studies Degree in Irvine — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Gender Studies ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Irvine.