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Cultural Studies · Ethnic & Cultural Studies Rank #7 of 92

Ethnic & Cultural Studiesat Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Graduates earn $40,719/yr in their first year — about 26.0% above the national Ethnic & Cultural Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $511K; scenarios range from $471K to $514K depending on AI disruption.

Tempe, AZ Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
38 AT RISK
39
Optimistic
28
Pessimistic
Earnings
$40,719
1-year post-graduation
ROI
9.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$511K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
67% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Arizona State

While the career paths for this major can seem abstract, your strong earnings potential at ASU comes from a very concrete reality. You’re not just studying theory; you’re situated in the massive, diverse Phoenix metro area, a hub for corporations, government agencies, and non-profits all grappling with the real-world applications of your degree. Companies like Intel and major healthcare systems have huge workforces and need expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and human resources. This degree provides the critical thinking and cultural competency that makes you a prime candidate for those roles, often after pairing it with a business or communications minor.

Your key move is to gain professional experience before graduating. Seek out internships with a local non-profit, a state agency in Phoenix, or a corporate HR department to translate your academic knowledge into the practical skills employers are hiring for.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$471K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score28/100
Earnings Multiple9.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$511K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score38/100
Earnings Multiple10.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$514K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score39/100
Earnings Multiple10.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Arizona State's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Ethnic & Cultural Studies graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
+2.4% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$84,290/yr
High
2
Interpreters and translators
+1.7% 10-yr growth · 6,900 openings/yr
$59,440/yr
Very High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Ethnic & Cultural Studies

How Arizona State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Columbia University in the City of New York
NY · Private nonprofit
34
DW Score
$55K
1-yr earn
1.0x
ROI
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
33
DW Score
$51K
1-yr earn
1.0x
ROI
Top score
California State University-East Bay
CA · Public
45
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
15.8x
ROI
American University
DC · Private nonprofit
33
DW Score
$46K
1-yr earn
2.0x
ROI
Wellesley College
MA · Private nonprofit
27
DW Score
$44K
1-yr earn
1.4x
ROI
Also at Arizona State

Other top programs at Arizona State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Arizona State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Ethnic & Cultural Studies offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Ethnic & Cultural Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Ethnic & Cultural Studies at Arizona State

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Ethnic & Cultural Studies at Arizona State University Campus Immersion?

A score of 38/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Ethnic & Cultural Studies. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.

Will AI replace Ethnic & Cultural Studies careers?

With 69% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $470,798 in decade earnings vs $514,045 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.