Best Area programs in Illinois, ranked by enrollment
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.
23 schools in Illinois run programs that feed this job, graduating 408 people a year. The job pays a median of $90,030 in Illinois across about 220 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Illinois that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
27 programs in Illinois that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Illinois (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Illinois page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 05.0207In Illinois → | 69 | 16.9% | 8 | $31,459 | $23,000 |
| 2 | CIP 05.0210In Illinois → | 62 | 15.2% | 4 | $31,459 | $23,000 |
| 3 | CIP 05.0299In Illinois → | 50 | 12.3% | 7 | $31,459 | $23,000 |
| 4 | CIP 38.0206In Illinois → | 46 | 11.3% | 3 | $26,048 | $25,612 |
| 5 | CIP 30.2301In Illinois → | 28 | 6.9% | 2 | $25,750 | $18,622 |
| 6 | CIP 05.0201In Illinois → | 22 | 5.4% | 6 | $31,459 | $23,000 |
| 7 | Near and Middle Eastern Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0108In Illinois → | 21 | 5.1% | 2 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 8 | Latin American Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0107In Illinois → | 20 | 4.9% | 7 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 9 | East Asian Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0104In Illinois → | 12 | 2.9% | 2 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 10 | Asian Studies/Civilizationmain feeder CIP 05.0103In Illinois → | 11 | 2.7% | 5 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 11 | CIP 30.2601In Illinois → | 11 | 2.7% | 1 | $21,458 | $21,125 |
| 12 | American/United States Studies/Civilizationmain feeder CIP 05.0102In Illinois → | 9 | 2.2% | 3 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 13 | African Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0101In Illinois → | 7 | 1.7% | 3 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 14 | CIP 30.2202In Illinois → | 7 | 1.7% | 2 | $32,054 | $24,000 |
| 15 | CIP 05.0203In Illinois → | 5 | 1.2% | 2 | $31,459 | $23,000 |
| 16 | CIP 38.0205In Illinois → | 5 | 1.2% | 1 | $26,048 | $25,612 |
| 17 | German Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0125In Illinois → | 4 | 1.0% | 2 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 18 | Russian Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0110In Illinois → | 3 | 0.7% | 1 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 19 | Italian Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0126In Illinois → | 3 | 0.7% | 1 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 20 | CIP 05.0200In Illinois → | 3 | 0.7% | 1 | $31,459 | $23,000 |
| 21 | Japanese Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0127In Illinois → | 2 | 0.5% | 1 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 22 | Area Studies, Othermain feeder CIP 05.0199In Illinois → | 2 | 0.5% | 2 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 23 | CIP 05.0206In Illinois → | 2 | 0.5% | 1 | $31,459 | $23,000 |
| 24 | European Studies/Civilizationmain feeder CIP 05.0106In Illinois → | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 25 | Chinese Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0123In Illinois → | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 26 | French Studiesmain feeder CIP 05.0124In Illinois → | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | $34,211 | $21,627 |
| 27 | CIP 05.0211In Illinois → | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | $31,459 | $23,000 |
Top 23 schools in Illinois
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 4 of the 23 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL Public · 7 feeder programs | 69 | Disability Studies | $33,366 | 62% | — | 77% |
| 2 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · 11 feeder programs | 47 | African-American/Black Studies | $39,012 | 95% | $14,799 | 8% |
| 3 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 47 | Near and Middle Eastern Studies | — | 96% | $13,333 | 4% |
| 4 | DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 38 | Women's Studies | $18,029 | 68% | $28,141 | 76% |
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · 10 feeder programs | 32 | East Asian Studies | $24,332 | 85% | — | 42% |
| 6 | Wheaton College Wheaton, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 27 | Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies | — | 85% | $23,461 | 87% |
| 7 | Spertus College Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 26 | Jewish/Judaic Studies | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 22 | Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other | — | 22% | — | 75% |
| 9 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 21 | Women's Studies | — | 73% | $33,454 | 82% |
| 10 | Hebrew Theological College Skokie, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 19 | Jewish/Judaic Studies | — | 50% | $11,197 | 57% |
| 11 | Illinois State University Normal, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 18 | Women's Studies | — | 65% | — | 88% |
| 12 | Augustana College Rock Island, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 9 | Women's Studies | — | 73% | $14,960 | 63% |
| 13 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 7 | Asian Studies/Civilization | — | 78% | $25,052 | 57% |
| 14 | Knox College Galesburg, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 6 | Asian Studies/Civilization | — | 68% | $24,240 | 71% |
| 15 | American Islamic College Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Islamic Studies | — | — | — | 100% |
| 16 | Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 5 | Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other | — | 52% | $28,087 | 89% |
| 17 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 3 | Women's Studies | — | 62% | — | 87% |
| 18 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 2 | Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other | — | 49% | — | 70% |
| 19 | Aurora University Aurora, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Disability Studies | — | 60% | $18,431 | 81% |
| 20 | Bradley University Peoria, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | French Studies | — | 76% | $21,768 | 77% |
| 21 | Dominican University River Forest, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | African-American/Black Studies | — | 55% | $16,176 | 90% |
| 22 | National Louis University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | Disability Studies | — | 30% | $18,904 | 95% |
| 23 | North Central College Naperville, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1 | East Asian Studies | — | 64% | $20,052 | 77% |
All 23 schools in Illinois
Every school in Illinois with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago | Public | 69 | 7 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Private not-for-profit | 47 | 11 |
| University of Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 47 | 5 |
| DePaul University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 38 | 8 |
| University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign | Champaign | Public | 32 | 10 |
| Wheaton College | Wheaton | Private not-for-profit | 27 | 2 |
| Spertus College | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 26 | 1 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | Chicago | Public | 22 | 3 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 21 | 2 |
| Hebrew Theological College | Skokie | Private not-for-profit | 19 | 1 |
| Illinois State University | Normal | Public | 18 | 1 |
| Augustana College | Rock Island | Private not-for-profit | 9 | 2 |
| Lake Forest College | Lake Forest | Private not-for-profit | 7 | 5 |
| Knox College | Galesburg | Private not-for-profit | 6 | 3 |
| American Islamic College | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 5 | 1 |
What area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary earn in Illinois
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $85,020. Illinois pays above the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Illinois
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary page.
How to become a Area
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Illinois
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary21 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 05.0101African Studies
- 05.0102American/United States Studies/Civilization
- 05.0103Asian Studies/Civilization
- 05.0104East Asian Studies
- 05.0105Russian, Central European, East European and Eurasian Studies
- 05.0106European Studies/Civilization
- 05.0107Latin American Studies
- 05.0108Near and Middle Eastern Studies
- 05.0109Pacific Area/Pacific Rim Studies
- 05.0110Russian Studies
- 05.0111Scandinavian Studies
- 05.0112South Asian Studies
- 05.0113Southeast Asian Studies
- 05.0114Western European Studies
- 05.0115Canadian Studies
- 05.0116Balkans Studies(no graduates reported)
- 05.0117Baltic Studies(no graduates reported)
- 05.0118Slavic Studies
- 05.0119Caribbean Studies(no graduates reported)
- 05.0120Ural-Altaic and Central Asian Studies
- 05.0121Commonwealth Studies(no graduates reported)
- 05.0122Regional Studies (U.S., Canadian, Foreign)
- 05.0123Chinese Studies
- 05.0124French Studies
- 05.0125German Studies
Common questions
Answers for people weighing area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary programs in Illinois.
What degree do you need to become an Area?+
Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Women's Studies, which awarded 69 degrees in Illinois in 2024-25, 16.9% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Area?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 27 programs to this occupation. The largest are Ethnic, Area Studies, Religion/Religious Studies, Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 408 people a year in Illinois.
How much do area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary earn in Illinois?+
The median is $90,030 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 5.9% above the U.S. median of $85,020. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary growing?+
BLS projects a +2.4% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 1,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Illinois?+
23 institutions in Illinois reported graduates from at least one of the 27 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Women's Studies Professor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-1062.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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