Education & Library
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Also called: Adjunct Professor, American Studies Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor
US median pay
$85,020
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+2.7%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
1,000
14,300 employed
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to 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.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Instructing4.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.4/5
- Time Management3.2/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.2/5
- Systems Evaluation3.1/5
- Systems Analysis3.1/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
Knowledge
- Education and Training4.6/5
- English Language4.6/5
- Sociology and Anthropology3.7/5
- History and Archeology3.6/5
- Foreign Language3.5/5
- Communications and Media3.4/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Doctoral or professional degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Doctoral degree61%
- Master's degree31%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Artistic
Creating, designing and self-expression
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.