Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $81,120/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $140K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $76,949 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 37.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $81K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary pay in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro tracks closely to the national median, $81K locally vs. $85K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,922/month, which is 39.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $102K | $90K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $96K | $86K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $119K | $106K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $104K | $98K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $140K or more, a $82K spread from bottom to top.
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $125K | +48% | 80 |
| Kansas | $107K | +26% | 90 |
| California | $105K | +24% | 770 |
| Rhode Island | $104K | +23% | N/A |
| Maine | $103K | +21% | 50 |
| New York | $102K | +20% | 1,520 |
| District of Columbia | $102K | +20% | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $100K | +18% | 610 |
| Connecticut | $100K | +18% | 310 |
| New Jersey | $98K | +15% | 480 |
| Pennsylvania | $96K | +13% | 260 |
| Maryland | $91K | +7% | 520 |
| Illinois | $90K | +6% | 220 |
| Michigan | $88K | +3% | 460 |
| Virginia | $86K | +1% | 300 |
| Indiana | $85K | -0% | 260 |
| Utah | $83K | -2% | 40 |
| Alaska | $82K | -4% | 80 |
| Minnesota | $82K | -4% | 280 |
| Washington | $81K | -4% | 240 |
| Oregon | $80K | -6% | 340 |
| Ohio | $80K | -6% | 390 |
| Colorado | $79K | -7% | 160 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | -7% | 180 |
| Montana | $79K | -7% | 90 |
| Georgia | $78K | -9% | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $77K | -10% | 50 |
| Wyoming | $76K | -10% | 40 |
| Arizona | $76K | -11% | 240 |
| Tennessee | $75K | -12% | 60 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -12% | 90 |
| Texas | $72K | -15% | 830 |
| West Virginia | $71K | -16% | 40 |
| Florida | $67K | -22% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $66K | -22% | 590 |
| South Carolina | $65K | -24% | 130 |
| Alabama | $63K | -26% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 39.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,511/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $81K locally vs. $85K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $85K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.
How much do area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $81,120 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,510, and experienced area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries can clear $140,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,907/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 39.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary salary go in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $76,949 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.