Ethnic & Cultural Studies at DePaul University

While this degree offers a crucial lens for understanding society, it doesn't lead to a straightforward or high-paying career path on its own. The curriculum is focused on critical analysis and theory, not vocational skills that Chicago’s corporate or tech employers typically hire for at the entry level. Graduates often find meaningful work in nonprofits, social advocacy, or community organizing—fields that are vital but notoriously underfunded. You'll be competing for these roles against graduates from many other humanities and social science programs in a very crowded city. To make this degree work financially, you must treat it as a pre-professional stepping stone. Your key action is to aggressively pursue a tangible, in-demand skill alongside your studies, whether it's grant writing, data analysis for social research, or fluency in a high-demand language.