by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Multicultural Education covers Multicultural Education. A Program That Focuses On The Design, And Implementation Of Instructional And Advising Services For Culturally Diverse Learning Populations. Includes Instruction In Cultural Diversity, At-Risk Populations, Multilingual And Esl Education, Program And Curriculum Design, Instructional Technology, Information Resources, Lep And Minority Education Strategies, Counseling And Communicating With Multicultural Populations, Law And Regulations, And Applications To Specific Cultural Groups, Educational Services, And Research Issues. Read on to learn the key facts every multicultural education student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering multicultural education programs.
Across the country, multicultural education is a widely-pursued major, with 329 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Multicultural Education Schools ranking analyzes these 40 schools to determine the best overall colleges for multicultural education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of multicultural education programs later in this article.
Programs in Multicultural Education develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations multicultural education graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a multicultural education program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a multicultural education major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several multicultural education degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 15 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 278 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 28 |
People currently working in careers related to multicultural education tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 77.9% |
| Master’s degree | 10.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 6.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.5% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.5% |
| Some college courses | 0.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in multicultural education careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying multicultural education opens doors to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to multicultural education.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to multicultural education.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | 1,154,676 | 1.9% |
| Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors | 217,050 | 0.9% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of multicultural education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $61,405 |
| 4 years | $62,672 |
| 5 years | $69,660 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for multicultural education graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers multicultural education grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| Teachers and Instructors, All Other | $83,682 |
| Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors | $62,634 |
With 40 different multicultural education programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased multicultural education school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in multicultural education, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Bilingual and Multilingual Education | 932 |
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Other | 326 |
| Indian/Native American Education | 47 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
