Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

Best institutions to study Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature

Compare 4 U.S. colleges offering Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 4 states.

Institutions
4
offering CIP 30.36
States offered
4
with a program page
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Degrees / yr
22
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
1 year after graduation
US pay · English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
$89,580
BLS OEWS May 2025

About Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature programs

Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature is an interdisciplinary program that explores literature and cultural expression across various linguistic, national, and geographic boundaries. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding how cultural narratives shape societies and influence human experiences through diverse literary works.

Learn more about Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature

What you'll learn

Students in this program develop essential skills such as reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, and active listening. Coursework often includes the study of English language, history, sociology, and philosophy, equipping students with a broad understanding of cultural contexts and literary analysis.

Top 4 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).

Graduate earnings for this program are not yet reported by College Scorecard. Explore the states below to see where it's offered.

Offered across 4 states

The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.

StateInstitutionsMedian earningsTop institution by earnings
Minnesotalimited1
North Carolinalimited1
Oregonlimited1
Texaslimited1

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 25-1123, English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary, and its national outlook.

Graduates of Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature typically pursue careers in education, writing, or communication. The job outlook indicates little or no change in the field, with about 5,100 annual openings and a median wage of $78,270, often requiring a doctoral or professional degree.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
0.0%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~5,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$78,270
typically Doctoral or professional degree
National employment
57,720
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
US average pay
$89,580
annual, BLS OEWS May 2025
US median pay
$78,760
annual

Top-paying metros

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$167,930avg
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$161,950avg
Fresno, CA
$143,960avg
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$137,240avg
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$134,280avg

Related careers

English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
$89,580 avg · 57,720 jobs
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
$98,330 avg · 11,300 jobs

CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature

The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 30.36.

Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 30.36 (Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature) maps to 3 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.

SOC codeOccupation
25-1062Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
25-1123English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondaryprimary
25-2031Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.

Skills & knowledge in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Reading Comprehension
Writing
Speaking
Active Listening
Learning Strategies
Active Learning
Critical Thinking
Monitoring

Knowledge areas

English Language
Education and Training
Communications and Media
History and Archeology
Philosophy and Theology
Sociology and Anthropology

What graduates do on the job

  • Teach writing or communication classes.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  • Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.

Concentrations within Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature

Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).

  • Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature
    CIP 30.3601

    A program with a general synthesis of cultural studies and comparative literature or a specialization which draws from cultural studies and comparative literature

Common questions

What is Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature?+

It is an interdisciplinary program focusing on literature and cultural expression across various boundaries.

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop skills in reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, and active listening.

What careers can I pursue with this degree?+

You can pursue careers in education, writing, and communication.

What is the job outlook for this field?+

The job outlook shows little or no change, with about 5,100 annual openings.

What is the CIP code for Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature?+

Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature maps to CIP 30.36 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.

Zoom outAll programs
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature by stateMinnesotaNorth CarolinaOregonTexas

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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