Education Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $75,350 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 2.5% through 2035, with about 5,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 25-1081
- Educational Instruction and Library
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Education Teacher, Postsecondary in four numbers
- Median pay
- $75,350a yearBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $40KTop 10% $127K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.5%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,30077,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202577.2K
- Projected 203579.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 77.2K Projected 2035 79.2K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's0.6%
- Master's9.4%
- Post-master’s certificate0.1%
- Doctorate89.8%
- Post-doctoral training0.1%
Highest education held by education teachers, postsecondary Segment Value Bachelor's 0.6% Master's 9.4% Post-master’s certificate 0.1% Doctorate 89.8% Post-doctoral training 0.1%
Also advertised as: Adjunct Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Education Instructor, Education Professor, Faculty Member.
Pay
How much do Education Teachers, Postsecondary make?
Every education teacher, postsecondary in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$75,350
Middle half earn $53,770 to $97,590
- 10th
- $39,530
- 25th
- $53,770
- 75th
- $97,590
- 90th
- $126,860
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $39,530 |
| 25th | $53,770 |
| Median | $75,350 |
| 75th | $97,590 |
| 90th | $126,860 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $75,350
- Median hourly wage
- N/A
- Mean annual wage
- $79,350
- People employed
- 60,830
Versus all US occupations
At $75,350, Education Teachers, Postsecondary earn 48% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $24,370 a year.
Versus educational instruction and library occupations
Inside the Educational Instruction and Library group, where the middle occupation pays $68,270, this is 10% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $126,860 or more while the bottom 10% earn $39,530, a gap of 3.2×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 50% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $111,850, and still leads at $101,021 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Education Teachers, Postsecondary the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $111,850 | $101,021 | 3,100 |
| 2Louisiana | $83,710 | $94,902 | 460 |
| 3New York | $82,020 | $76,000 | 5,430 |
| 4District of Columbia | $80,810 | $73,530 | 230 |
| 5Connecticut | $80,620 | $77,811 | 900 |
| 6Rhode Island | $80,030 | $78,246 | 190 |
| 7Massachusetts | $79,980 | $75,626 | 2,050 |
| 8Michigan | $79,910 | $83,052 | 1,140 |
| 9Minnesota | $78,950 | $80,054 | 950 |
| 10Nebraska | $78,950 | $87,622 | 600 |
Job outlook
Is Education Teacher, Postsecondary a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | +2.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Education Teachers, Postsecondary to change 2.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,300 openings are projected each year, 6.9% of the 77,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of postsecondary teachers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of postsecondary teachers varies by occupation (see table). Both part-time and full-time postsecondary teachers are included in these projections.
The number of people attending postsecondary institutions is expected to grow over the projections decade. Students will continue to seek higher education to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to meet their career goals. As more people enter colleges and universities, more postsecondary teachers will be needed to serve these additional students. Colleges and universities are likely to hire more part-time teachers to meet this demand. In all disciplines, there is expected to be a limited number of full-time nontenure and full-time tenure positions.
Getting in
How to become an Education Teacher, Postsecondary
Educational requirements vary with the subject taught and the type of educational institution. Typically, postsecondary teachers must have a Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in their field. However, a master's degree may be enough for some postsecondary teachers at community colleges. Other postsecondary teachers may need work experience in their field of expertise.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as education teachers, postsecondary.
- Doctoral Degree89.8%
- Master's Degree9.4%
- Bachelor's Degree0.6%
- Post-Master's Certificate0.1%
- Post-Doctoral Training0.1%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 89.8% |
| Master's Degree | 9.4% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 0.6% |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 0.1% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Education Teacher, Postsecondary do?
Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a variety of academic subjects beyond the high school level. They may also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.
Day-to-day tasks
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most postsecondary teachers work full time, although part-time work is common. Postsecondary teachers who work part time may offer instruction at several colleges or universities. Some have a full-time job in their field of expertise in addition to a part-time teaching position. For example, an active lawyer or judge might teach an evening course at a law school.
College and university courses are generally during the day, although some are offered in the evenings or on weekends to accommodate students who have jobs or other obligations.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking4.6
- Reading Comprehension4.3
- Active Listening4.1
- Learning Strategies4.1
- Writing4.0
- Active Learning4.0
- Monitoring3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.3 |
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.1 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Instructing4.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Time Management3.5
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Systems Analysis3.1
- Systems Evaluation3.1
- Coordination3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Instructing | 4.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Time Management | 3.5 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer based training software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Information retrieval or search software
- Internet browser software
- Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Education Teacher, Postsecondary?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Education Teacher, Postsecondary |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social7.0
- Investigative4.8
- Conventional3.6
- Artistic3.5
- Enterprising2.7
- Realistic2.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Education Teacher, Postsecondary
O*NET related occupations
- Educational Instruction and Library
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Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructor
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Most earn $42K to $98K
−13.9%Bachelor's - Educational Instruction and Library
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More educational instruction and library careers
Median annual pay, with education teachers, postsecondary highlighted
- Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary$80,250
- Education Teacher, Postsecondary$75,350
- Special Education Teacher, Secondary School$74,260
- Librarian$68,270
- Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$66,270
- Kindergarten Teacher$62,680
- Library Technician$44,580
- Tutor$43,350
- Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education$38,140
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary | $80,250 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $75,350 |
| Special Education Teacher, Secondary School | $74,260 |
| Librarian | $68,270 |
| Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School | $66,270 |
| Kindergarten Teacher | $62,680 |
| Library Technician | $44,580 |
| Tutor | $43,350 |
| Preschool Teacher, Except Special Education | $38,140 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Education Teacher, Postsecondary appears on
Questions
Education Teacher, Postsecondary: frequently asked questions
How much do Education Teachers, Postsecondary make?
Education Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $75,350 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 48% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. The middle half earn between $53,770 and $97,590. The top 10% earn $126,860 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Education Teacher, Postsecondary?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Education Teachers, Postsecondary. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 89.8% hold doctoral degree.
Is Education Teacher, Postsecondary a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.5% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Education Teacher, Postsecondary do?
Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a variety of academic subjects beyond the high school level. A core O*NET task: keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Education Teachers, Postsecondary the most?
The highest state medians for Education Teachers, Postsecondary are California ($111,850), Louisiana ($83,710), New York ($82,020) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Education Teacher, Postsecondary?
O*NET scores Education Teachers, Postsecondary highest on the Social, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, INFJ, ENFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.