Education Teachers, Postsecondary
Education Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1081) earn a median $75,350 a year in the United States, with 60,830 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What education teachers, postsecondary do
Education teachers train future and current educators at colleges and universities, teaching subjects such as curriculum, instruction, counseling and guidance, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. They build course materials, lecture on children's literature, learning and development, and reading instruction, set and grade exams, and oversee students' fieldwork and internships. Research on teaching and learning is a common part of the job. They differ from the K-12 teachers they prepare and from instructional coordinators. Alternate titles show counselor education and adult basic education programs, with ranks from adjunct instructor to assistant and associate professor. They also moderate classroom discussions, grade class work and papers, and keep up with developments through current literature, colleagues, and professional organizations. Both those primarily engaged in teaching and those who combine teaching with research are included.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Adjunct Instructor, Adult Basic Education Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, College Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 60,830 |
| Annual | $39,530 | $53,770 | $75,350 | $97,590 | $126,860 | $79,350 | ||
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 education 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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,100 | 0.17 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $59,620 | $79,040 | $111,850 | $132,730 | $159,270 | $113,870 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 460 | 0.24 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $49,040 | $59,780 | $83,710 | $106,290 | $212,740 | $106,100 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,430 | 0.56 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $51,680 | $65,580 | $82,020 | $107,710 | $168,280 | $96,740 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 230 | 0.33 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $49,820 | $64,800 | $80,810 | $104,330 | $123,890 | $87,940 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 900 | 0.53 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $49,100 | $62,720 | $80,620 | $101,030 | $127,400 | $87,230 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,400 | 0.46 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $37,270 | $49,650 | $68,280 | $97,610 | $108,130 | $74,180 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,430 | 0.56 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $51,680 | $65,580 | $82,020 | $107,710 | $168,280 | $96,740 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,930 | 0.64 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $37,690 | $47,140 | $61,560 | $78,810 | $100,000 | $67,070 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,390 | 0.56 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $39,210 | $49,460 | $74,910 | $96,950 | $113,950 | $75,280 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,100 | 0.17 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $59,620 | $79,040 | $111,850 | $132,730 | $159,270 | $113,870 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 160 | 0.10 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $71,140 | $100,610 | $129,100 | $138,440 | $171,820 | $122,520 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 240 | 0.14 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $76,020 | $77,170 | $123,910 | $152,240 | $188,910 | $124,070 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 430 | 0.38 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $79,910 | $101,190 | $121,520 | $159,270 | $159,270 | $130,400 | ||||
| Wilmington, NC | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 100 | 0.51 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $49,660 | $64,840 | $106,070 | $106,070 | $131,890 | $94,630 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,330 | 0.21 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $52,980 | $78,940 | $105,730 | $131,040 | $159,150 | $110,600 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,120 | 0.54 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $47,580 | $66,140 | $80,640 | $107,160 | $159,690 | $96,080 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,650 | 0.59 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $38,390 | $47,060 | $61,350 | $78,400 | $99,530 | $66,660 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,680 | 0.62 | 1.59 |
| Annual | $50,420 | $63,260 | $79,980 | $104,000 | $137,750 | $92,250 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,450 | 0.36 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $38,730 | $51,140 | $61,970 | $94,550 | $104,590 | $73,000 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,330 | 0.21 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $52,980 | $78,940 | $105,730 | $131,040 | $159,150 | $110,600 | ||||
Top industries employing education teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 89.0% of education teachers, postsecondary nationally (54,160 jobs) at a median $75,850 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (10.2%) and Technical and Trade Schools (0.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 54,160 | 89.0% | $75,850 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 6,200 | 10.2% | $67,920 | * |
| Technical and Trade Schools NAICS 611500 | 310 | 0.5% | $79,180 | * |
| Educational Support Services NAICS 611700 | 120 | 0.2% | $35,570 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (60,830). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $63,910 for education teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $75,350 in May 2025, with employment of 58,780 and 60,830.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $63,910 | * | 58,780 |
| May 2022 | $66,930 | * | 58,280 |
| May 2023 | $73,240 | * | 60,860 |
| May 2024 | $72,090 | * | 59,090 |
| May 2025 | $75,350 | * | 60,830 |
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
50 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 | * | $111,850 | $59,620 | $159,270 | 3,100 | 0.17 | 0.44 |
| 2 | Louisiana profile | * | $83,710 | $49,040 | $212,740 | 460 | 0.24 | 0.61 |
| 3 | New York profile | * | $82,020 | $51,680 | $168,280 | 5,430 | 0.56 | 1.43 |
| 4 | District of Columbia profile | * | $80,810 | $49,820 | $123,890 | 230 | 0.33 | 0.85 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | * | $80,620 | $49,100 | $127,400 | 900 | 0.53 | 1.35 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | * | $80,030 | $50,300 | $125,510 | 190 | 0.38 | 0.97 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | * | $79,980 | $49,990 | $137,750 | 2,050 | 0.56 | 1.44 |
| 8 | Michigan profile | * | $79,910 | $45,300 | $138,850 | 1,140 | 0.26 | 0.66 |
| 9 | Minnesota profile | * | $78,950 | $48,410 | $125,400 | 950 | 0.32 | 0.82 |
| 10 | Nebraska profile | * | $78,950 | $50,060 | $133,500 | 600 | 0.59 | 1.50 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | * | $78,820 | $31,760 | $125,900 | 870 | 0.32 | 0.81 |
| 12 | Arizona profile | * | $78,520 | $49,730 | $135,140 | 1,590 | 0.49 | 1.26 |
| 13 | Vermont profile | * | $78,100 | $43,410 | $126,780 | 170 | 0.56 | 1.44 |
| 14 | New Jersey profile | * | $77,600 | $32,220 | $129,930 | 2,580 | 0.60 | 1.54 |
| 15 | North Dakota profile | * | $77,540 | $48,520 | $103,850 | 230 | 0.53 | 1.36 |
| 16 | Utah profile | * | $77,090 | $43,100 | $108,230 | 330 | 0.19 | 0.48 |
| 17 | Virginia profile | * | $77,060 | $41,650 | $124,330 | 1,630 | 0.40 | 1.01 |
| 18 | Maine profile | * | $77,050 | $55,130 | $103,360 | 190 | 0.30 | 0.76 |
| 19 | Washington profile | * | $75,170 | $50,540 | $103,650 | 1,270 | 0.36 | 0.91 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $74,910 | $39,210 | $113,950 | 3,390 | 0.56 | 1.43 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | * | $74,790 | $44,280 | $106,970 | 1,540 | 0.52 | 1.34 |
| 22 | Arkansas profile | * | $74,500 | $46,730 | $92,000 | 250 | 0.19 | 0.49 |
| 23 | Nevada profile | * | $74,240 | $45,620 | $123,390 | 310 | 0.20 | 0.51 |
| 24 | Oregon profile | * | $73,880 | $36,310 | $150,520 | 1,240 | 0.63 | 1.61 |
| 25 | Tennessee profile | * | $72,390 | $47,330 | $103,790 | 950 | 0.29 | 0.74 |
| 26 | Montana profile | * | $70,320 | $33,640 | $101,510 | 130 | 0.25 | 0.63 |
| 27 | North Carolina profile | * | $70,050 | $41,030 | $105,820 | 2,130 | 0.43 | 1.10 |
| 28 | Texas profile | * | $68,280 | $37,270 | $108,130 | 6,400 | 0.46 | 1.16 |
| 29 | Colorado profile | * | $66,870 | $32,000 | $107,200 | 1,060 | 0.37 | 0.95 |
| 30 | South Carolina profile | * | $66,690 | $33,150 | $105,770 | 1,270 | 0.55 | 1.41 |
| 31 | Wyoming profile | * | $66,350 | $48,110 | $101,380 | 80 | 0.30 | 0.76 |
| 32 | Indiana profile | * | $66,150 | $40,180 | $104,380 | 1,830 | 0.57 | 1.46 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | * | $65,910 | $40,620 | $104,210 | 1,140 | 0.39 | 1.00 |
| 34 | Idaho profile | * | $65,720 | $29,990 | $128,880 | 170 | 0.20 | 0.50 |
| 35 | New Mexico profile | * | $64,830 | $39,670 | $108,790 | 290 | 0.33 | 0.84 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | * | $63,730 | $46,750 | $100,490 | 840 | 0.40 | 1.02 |
| 37 | Florida profile | * | $63,640 | $37,500 | $94,970 | 1,290 | 0.13 | 0.33 |
| 38 | South Dakota profile | * | $63,350 | $55,550 | $82,690 | 190 | 0.42 | 1.08 |
| 39 | West Virginia profile | * | $63,270 | $45,310 | $99,210 | 320 | 0.45 | 1.15 |
| 40 | Kansas profile | * | $63,010 | $40,260 | $128,700 | 590 | 0.41 | 1.05 |
| 41 | Georgia profile | * | $62,510 | $15,080 | $92,890 | 1,750 | 0.36 | 0.92 |
| 42 | Ohio profile | * | $62,400 | $26,880 | $113,680 | 2,120 | 0.38 | 0.98 |
| 43 | Iowa profile | * | $62,090 | $29,850 | $130,120 | 690 | 0.44 | 1.12 |
| 44 | Mississippi profile | * | $61,860 | $31,440 | $103,070 | 430 | 0.37 | 0.96 |
| 45 | Illinois profile | * | $61,560 | $37,690 | $100,000 | 3,930 | 0.64 | 1.65 |
| 46 | Kentucky profile | * | $61,450 | $37,170 | $104,060 | 620 | 0.31 | 0.80 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | * | $60,880 | $22,380 | $90,230 | 560 | 0.33 | 0.84 |
| 48 | Hawaii profile | * | $49,800 | $47,190 | $96,650 | 460 | 0.73 | 1.86 |
| 49 | New Hampshire profile | * | $49,250 | $45,970 | $95,400 | 630 | 0.92 | 2.34 |
| – | Delaware profile | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.25 | 0.64 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1080), 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 25-1081 Education 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 25-1081, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1081.00, 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.