25 Series · SOC 25-1062

Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$85,020
Median / year
$160,420
Top 10% earn
+2.4%
Growth '23–'33
11,300
US workers

Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $85,020 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $85,020, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $52,070 (10th percentile) to $160,420 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 11,300 US workers. New Hampshire pays the most ($125,450), since pay varies by state and metro area.

25 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $85,020, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 77% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #17 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.4% by 2033.

$85,020
Median annual wage
Top 23%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#17 of 64
in Educational Instruction and Library
3.1×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: New Hampshire at $125,450. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.

Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1062) pays a national median of $85,020 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $52,070 at the 10th percentile to $160,420 at the 90th, with a mean of $98,330 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 11,300 Americans work in this occupation across 38 reporting states and 43 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.8 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Hampshire pays the highest state median at $125,450, which is +48% above the national figure. The top metro is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA at $145,530 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 11,300 jobs Median $85,020/yr

Median Salary

$85,020

per year

Median Hourly

N/A

per hour

Mean Salary

$98,330

average

Employment

11,300

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$85,020 Top 23% higher than 77% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +2.4% growth and $85,020 median pay.

Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +2.4% growth and $85,020 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $20000$40000$60000$80000$100000$120000 -5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +2.4% growth and $85,020 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+2.4%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

1,100

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Doctoral or professional degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.8/100

Danger Index

3.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.3
Speaking 4.1
Instructing 4.1
Active Listening 4.0
Writing 4.0
Active Learning 4.0
Learning Strategies 4.0
Critical Thinking 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.9
Social Perceptiveness 3.4

Knowledge Areas

Education and Training 4.6
English Language 4.6
Sociology and Anthropology 3.7
History and Archeology 3.6
Foreign Language 3.5
Communications and Media 3.4
Computers and Electronics 3.3
Philosophy and Theology 3.1
Administrative 3.0
Psychology 2.9

Key Tasks

  • ▸ 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.
  • ▸ Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • ▸ 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.
  • ▸ Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
  • ▸ Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$52,070$65,660$85,020$110,710$160,420
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th Percentile

$52,070

25th Percentile

$65,660

Median

$85,020

75th Percentile

$110,710

90th Percentile

$160,420

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. New Hampshire $125,450 2. Kansas $107,120 3. California $105,220 4. Rhode Island $104,460 5. Maine $103,060

Lowest Paying States

34. Puerto Rico $46,660 35. Alabama $63,090 36. South Carolina $64,500 37. North Carolina $66,470 38. Florida $66,520
View all 38 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 New Hampshire $125,450 +48% above national
2 Kansas $107,120 +26% above national
3 California $105,220 +24% above national
4 Rhode Island $104,460 +23% above national
5 Maine $103,060 +21% above national
6 New York $101,800 +20% above national
7 District of Columbia $101,700 +20% above national
8 Massachusetts $100,470 +18% above national
9 Connecticut $99,900 +18% above national
10 New Jersey $97,500 +15% above national
11 Pennsylvania $96,010 +13% above national
12 Maryland $91,330 +7% above national
13 Illinois $90,030 +6% above national
14 Michigan $87,840 +3% above national
15 Virginia $85,960 +1% above national
16 Indiana $84,970 same as national
17 Utah $82,990 2% below national
18 Alaska $81,700 4% below national
19 Minnesota $81,580 4% below national
20 Washington $81,410 4% below national
21 Oregon $80,310 6% below national
22 Ohio $80,060 6% below national
23 Colorado $79,190 7% below national
24 Wisconsin $78,770 7% below national
25 Montana $78,690 7% below national
26 Georgia $77,630 9% below national
27 Oklahoma $76,600 10% below national
28 Wyoming $76,170 10% below national
29 Arizona $75,680 11% below national
30 Tennessee $75,060 12% below national
31 Kentucky $74,690 12% below national
32 Texas $72,250 15% below national
33 West Virginia $71,200 16% below national
34 Florida $66,520 22% below national
35 North Carolina $66,470 22% below national
36 South Carolina $64,500 24% below national
37 Alabama $63,090 26% below national
38 Puerto Rico $46,660 45% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $145,530 2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $129,270 3. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $125,890 4. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $118,970 5. Ann Arbor, MI $106,140

Lowest Paying Metros

39. Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $44,600 40. San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $46,660 41. Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $61,130 42. Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area $64,590 43. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $66,520
View all 43 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $145,530 +71% above national
2 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $129,270 +52% above national
3 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $125,890 +48% above national
4 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $118,970 +40% above national
5 Ann Arbor, MI $106,140 +25% above national
6 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $105,290 +24% above national
7 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $104,460 +23% above national
8 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $104,410 +23% above national
9 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $103,700 +22% above national
10 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $102,030 +20% above national
11 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $101,920 +20% above national
12 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $101,700 +20% above national
13 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $101,180 +19% above national
14 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $100,760 +19% above national
15 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $100,140 +18% above national
16 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $99,600 +17% above national
17 Syracuse, NY $98,490 +16% above national
18 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $97,200 +14% above national
19 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $95,980 +13% above national
20 Oklahoma City, OK $86,240 +1% above national
21 Richmond, VA $85,960 +1% above national
22 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $83,910 1% below national
23 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $82,150 3% below national
24 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $81,790 4% below national
25 Cleveland, OH $81,670 4% below national
26 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $81,220 4% below national
27 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $81,120 5% below national
28 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $80,980 5% below national
29 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $79,050 7% below national
30 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $78,770 7% below national
31 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $78,230 8% below national
32 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $77,900 8% below national
33 Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area $76,850 10% below national
34 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $76,200 10% below national
35 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $76,080 11% below national
36 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $73,010 14% below national
37 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $71,930 15% below national
38 Rochester, NY $67,220 21% below national
39 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $66,520 22% below national
40 Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area $64,590 24% below national
41 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $61,130 28% below national
42 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $46,660 45% below national
43 Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area $44,600 48% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 25 (education) with comparable pay and career paths.

Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors

SOC 25-3011

Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

SOC 25-1041

Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary

SOC 25-1061

Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary

SOC 25-1031

Archivists

SOC 25-4011
Compare Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary make? ▼
The median annual salary for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary is $85,020 ($N/A/hour). The salary range spans from $52,070 at the 10th percentile to $160,420 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary the most? ▼
New Hampshire pays the highest median salary for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary at $125,450/year, which is +48% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary is Doctoral or professional degree.
How dangerous is being a Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary? ▼
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.3 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.8 per 100 workers.
Is Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary a good career? ▼
Employment for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 2.4% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 1,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary pay vary by state? ▼
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is New Hampshire at $125,450/year, while Florida pays the least at $66,520/year. BLS data covers 38 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary is Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA at $145,530/year. BLS reports wage data for 43 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $110,710/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: New Hampshire leads at $125,450/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.