Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 11,700 people employed as area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary in the United States. The median annual salary is $78,910. Entry level employees earn approximately $45,650 per year and senior employees earn approximately $161,290 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Participate in campus and community events, such as giving public lectures about research.
• Incorporate experiential or site visit components into courses.
• Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
• Act as advisers to student organizations.
• 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.
• Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
• Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
• 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.
• Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
• Advise students on academic and vocational curricula, and on career issues.
• Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
• 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, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• 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.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.

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