Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Machines can already do 47% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 64%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 47% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2029, and 64% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 11,300 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $85,020 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 69% for contact with people.
- Also called: Adjunct Professor, American Studies Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media | 15% | 73% to 82% | |
| Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as race and ethnic relations, gender studies, and cross-cultural perspectives | 14% | 22% to 47% | |
| Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers | 10% | 74% to 82% | |
| Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions | 8% | 22% to 47% | |
| Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences | 7% | 54% to 68% | |
| Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students | 5% | 32% to 55% | |
| Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts | 4% | 63% to 81% | |
| Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues | 4% | 9% to 26% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary54% of tasks by 2035 · US median $78,620
- Communications Teachers, Postsecondary60% of tasks by 2035 · US median $78,580
- Music Directors and Composers63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $73,710
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $72,040
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2029. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary?
Machines can do 47% of the tasks of area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary today and 64% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 25-1062.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/area-ethnic-and-cultural-studies-teachers-postsecondary/