Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $81,790/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $83,510 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $82K actually covers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $85K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,713/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $86K | $88K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $84K | $80K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $61K | $63K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $102K | $93K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $70K 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 annually. We'll email you when Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,492/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $85K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $85K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — below the national median.
How much do area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $81,790 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,740, and experienced area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaries can clear $122,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,145/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 33.3% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $83,510 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.