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.
Also called: Adjunct Professor · American Studies Professor · Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · Black Studies Professor · Ethnic Studies Professor
Median pay (national)
$84,290
$51,130–$164,650 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
11,430
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+2.4%
~1,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
Doctoral or professional degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $164,650 versus $51,130 at the bottom 10% — 3.2x. The median of $84,290 leaves roughly 95% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +2.4% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 1,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 37 states with released data, California pays the most for this role (median $113,070, +34% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $44,940 — a 152% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Learning management system LMS as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Science
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
- Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
- Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
Tools & technology
- Learning management system LMS
- Microsoft Windows
- Blackboard Learn
- Collaborative editing software
- Course management system software
- Desire2Learn LMS software
- DOC Cop
- FileMaker Pro
- Google Drive
- Image scanning software
- iParadigms Turnitin
- Sakai CLE
- Social media software
- Web browser software
- YouTube
- Email software
Knowledge areas
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Sociology and Anthropology
- History and Archeology
- Foreign Language
- Communications and Media
- Computers and Electronics
- Philosophy and Theology