Education
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses pertaining to the culture and development of an area, an ethnic group, or any other group, such as Latin American studies, women's studies, or urban affairs. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median salary (BLS)
$85,020
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$52k – $160k
Job outlook
+2% (about average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $85,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Education
Typical entry: Master's degree
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateLicense requiredCost to qualify
$64,100–$230,700
Time to qualify
6.3 yr
Renewal
$20/yr
- 1
Bachelor's degree
DegreeFour years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.
$40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source
- 2
Master's degree
DegreeTypically two years; average graduate tuition ≈ $20,000/yr at public universities (NCES).
$24,000–$80,000 · 2 years source
- 3
State teaching certification
LicenseApproved educator-prep program, pedagogy & subject exams, background check, and a state application.
$100–$700 · 3 months · varies by state · renews every 5 yr source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Junior Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Entry / Junior
$52,070
~2 yrs to advance
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Established
$85,020
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Senior
$122,720
Key skills
A typical day
- •Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- •Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- •Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, gender studies, and cross-cultural perspectives.
- •Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- •Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Education
Explore all- University of Michigan18% admit · $87,000 grad pay
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill19% admit · $73,000 grad pay
- University of Wisconsin–Madison49% admit · $72,000 grad pay
- Vanderbilt University7% admit · $88,000 grad pay
- University of Virginia19% admit · $85,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.