Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1021) earn a median $96,980 a year in the United States, with 35,480 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What computer science teachers, postsecondary do
Computer science teachers at colleges and universities teach programming, data structures, and software design, among other computing topics, to undergraduate and graduate students. Their routine includes preparing course materials, delivering lectures, grading class work, laboratory work, and exams, and recording grades and attendance. Faculty who combine teaching with research also conduct and publish research. The focus is on the academic discipline of computing, which sets it apart from vocational instructors who train students for a specific technical trade. Titles range from adjunct instructor to assistant, associate, and full professor. Instructors also hold regular office hours to advise students, plan and revise curricula, and keep up with the field through current literature, colleagues, and professional conferences. Titles such as C++ professor, computer applications instructor, and computer engineering professor appear in O*NET's list.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a master's degree.
Also called: Adjunct Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, C++ Professor, College Faculty Member.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 35,480 |
| Annual | $49,460 | $66,600 | $96,980 | $131,320 | $170,200 | $104,420 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where computer science teachers, postsecondary earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,480 | 0.14 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $60,850 | $93,000 | $128,210 | $171,030 | $225,640 | $137,170 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,490 | 0.41 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $66,120 | $85,380 | $128,030 | $163,640 | $208,700 | $128,720 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 550 | 0.32 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $67,070 | $95,090 | $124,460 | $150,600 | $163,860 | $123,530 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 810 | 0.19 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $60,920 | $81,900 | $107,690 | $138,300 | $176,080 | $113,580 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 530 | 0.27 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $62,240 | $84,160 | $107,310 | $135,220 | $198,650 | $118,010 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,540 | 0.25 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $47,960 | $62,310 | $97,480 | $129,950 | $161,040 | $101,440 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,170 | 0.33 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $51,180 | $73,980 | $96,450 | $130,360 | $170,200 | $105,620 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,480 | 0.14 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $60,850 | $93,000 | $128,210 | $171,030 | $225,640 | $137,170 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,670 | 0.41 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $54,950 | $75,440 | $106,780 | $159,640 | $200,140 | $120,790 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,650 | 0.33 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $45,270 | $61,320 | $80,080 | $105,740 | $135,900 | $89,040 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.37 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $71,400 | $104,050 | $173,640 | $229,570 | $315,550 | $176,910 | ||||
| Lawrence, KS | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.81 | 3.54 |
| Annual | $88,130 | $146,690 | $170,660 | $170,660 | $293,920 | $165,100 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 300 | 0.20 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $61,200 | $101,710 | $166,550 | $225,500 | $308,670 | $164,860 | ||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.11 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $85,800 | $121,020 | $144,170 | $170,900 | $172,740 | $139,260 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.10 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $76,070 | $117,490 | $141,210 | $195,500 | $211,810 | $150,210 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,830 | 0.30 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $49,920 | $63,910 | $93,980 | $131,330 | $181,420 | $104,700 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,070 | 0.26 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $50,720 | $63,080 | $99,670 | $133,580 | $161,040 | $106,460 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,060 | 0.39 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $66,120 | $82,070 | $119,810 | $163,640 | $218,190 | $128,840 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 990 | 0.22 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $41,700 | $63,570 | $85,120 | $131,910 | $164,890 | $99,290 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 940 | 0.30 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $40,500 | $75,090 | $97,940 | $132,270 | $199,210 | $109,440 | ||||
Top industries employing computer science teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 74.5% of computer science teachers, postsecondary nationally (26,420 jobs) at a median $101,470 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (24.2%) and Technical and Trade Schools (0.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 26,420 | 74.5% | $101,470 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 8,600 | 24.2% | $76,600 | * |
| Technical and Trade Schools NAICS 611500 | 210 | 0.6% | $59,650 | * |
| Business Schools and Computer and Management Training NAICS 611400 | 130 | 0.4% | $79,120 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (35,480). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $77,910 for computer science teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $96,980 in May 2025, with employment of 37,600 and 35,480.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $77,910 | * | 37,600 |
| May 2022 | $84,760 | * | 33,870 |
| May 2023 | $96,430 | * | 36,150 |
| May 2024 | $96,690 | * | 36,240 |
| May 2025 | $96,980 | * | 35,480 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | * | $128,210 | $60,850 | $225,640 | 2,480 | 0.14 | 0.60 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | * | $128,030 | $66,120 | $208,700 | 1,490 | 0.41 | 1.79 |
| 3 | Utah profile | * | $124,460 | $67,070 | $163,860 | 550 | 0.32 | 1.38 |
| 4 | Michigan profile | * | $107,690 | $60,920 | $176,080 | 810 | 0.19 | 0.81 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | * | $107,310 | $62,240 | $198,650 | 530 | 0.27 | 1.17 |
| 6 | Virginia profile | * | $106,780 | $54,950 | $200,140 | 1,670 | 0.41 | 1.78 |
| 7 | Nevada profile | * | $106,640 | $60,650 | $181,670 | 140 | 0.09 | 0.39 |
| 8 | Connecticut profile | * | $106,290 | $60,950 | $167,540 | 390 | 0.23 | 1.02 |
| 9 | Indiana profile | * | $102,660 | $60,800 | $173,770 | 1,240 | 0.39 | 1.70 |
| 10 | Delaware profile | * | $102,080 | $60,340 | $162,570 | 120 | 0.26 | 1.13 |
| 11 | District of Columbia profile | * | $101,380 | $66,190 | $166,170 | 210 | 0.30 | 1.30 |
| 12 | Rhode Island profile | * | $100,790 | $60,770 | $161,420 | 160 | 0.32 | 1.40 |
| 13 | Maine profile | * | $99,730 | $60,870 | $161,560 | 120 | 0.18 | 0.79 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | * | $98,850 | $31,760 | $180,340 | 830 | 0.30 | 1.32 |
| 15 | Illinois profile | * | $98,750 | $42,860 | $165,810 | 1,540 | 0.25 | 1.11 |
| 16 | Georgia profile | * | $98,030 | $15,080 | $172,850 | 1,160 | 0.24 | 1.04 |
| 17 | Wisconsin profile | * | $97,730 | $73,660 | $167,710 | 510 | 0.18 | 0.76 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $97,500 | $37,000 | $153,860 | 1,520 | 0.25 | 1.10 |
| 19 | Texas profile | * | $97,480 | $47,960 | $161,040 | 3,540 | 0.25 | 1.10 |
| 20 | New York profile | * | $96,450 | $51,180 | $170,200 | 3,170 | 0.33 | 1.44 |
| 21 | Vermont profile | * | $94,930 | $65,440 | $161,390 | 110 | 0.37 | 1.60 |
| 22 | Nebraska profile | * | $94,360 | $49,160 | $162,290 | 260 | 0.25 | 1.11 |
| 23 | Alabama profile | * | $92,640 | $56,310 | $159,600 | 500 | 0.24 | 1.04 |
| 24 | Ohio profile | * | $91,230 | $39,390 | $160,060 | 1,180 | 0.21 | 0.93 |
| 25 | Washington profile | * | $90,950 | $57,370 | $168,390 | 800 | 0.23 | 0.99 |
| 26 | Missouri profile | * | $90,770 | $53,990 | $162,330 | 510 | 0.17 | 0.76 |
| 27 | Iowa profile | * | $89,510 | $61,450 | $157,790 | 290 | 0.19 | 0.82 |
| 28 | Minnesota profile | * | $85,710 | $63,010 | $132,670 | 480 | 0.16 | 0.71 |
| 29 | Arizona profile | * | $84,050 | $71,240 | $157,530 | 700 | 0.22 | 0.95 |
| 30 | New Hampshire profile | * | $83,630 | $64,730 | $160,470 | 210 | 0.31 | 1.34 |
| 31 | Kentucky profile | * | $83,470 | $46,680 | $139,570 | 310 | 0.15 | 0.67 |
| 32 | Tennessee profile | * | $81,600 | $60,930 | $166,310 | 560 | 0.17 | 0.75 |
| 33 | Montana profile | * | $81,560 | $45,490 | $163,930 | 60 | 0.11 | 0.50 |
| 34 | New Jersey profile | * | $81,500 | $32,220 | $176,830 | 1,440 | 0.34 | 1.48 |
| 35 | North Dakota profile | * | $81,400 | $55,840 | $172,000 | 90 | 0.20 | 0.87 |
| 36 | Colorado profile | * | $80,530 | $30,800 | $139,900 | 920 | 0.32 | 1.41 |
| 37 | North Carolina profile | * | $80,080 | $45,270 | $135,900 | 1,650 | 0.33 | 1.46 |
| 38 | New Mexico profile | * | $79,440 | $56,150 | $156,260 | 200 | 0.23 | 1.00 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | * | $78,240 | $56,790 | $146,070 | 380 | 0.17 | 0.73 |
| 40 | Louisiana profile | * | $77,530 | $51,120 | $154,840 | 200 | 0.10 | 0.45 |
| 41 | Florida profile | * | $76,950 | $50,520 | $106,370 | 950 | 0.10 | 0.42 |
| 42 | Oklahoma profile | * | $76,570 | $37,030 | $137,100 | 210 | 0.12 | 0.55 |
| 43 | South Dakota profile | * | $75,540 | $52,040 | $106,900 | 150 | 0.32 | 1.41 |
| 44 | Mississippi profile | * | $75,520 | $48,860 | $143,160 | 160 | 0.13 | 0.59 |
| 45 | West Virginia profile | * | $73,880 | $49,880 | $128,240 | 270 | 0.39 | 1.69 |
| 46 | Kansas profile | * | $67,400 | $30,360 | $170,660 | 260 | 0.18 | 0.79 |
| 47 | Wyoming profile | * | $63,900 | $44,710 | $94,750 | 40 | 0.15 | 0.63 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | * | $56,180 | $23,500 | $98,540 | 160 | 0.13 | 0.55 |
| – | Idaho profile | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.14 | 0.59 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Educational Instruction and Library Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 25-1021 Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
*- Wage estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-1021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.