Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1124) earn a median $79,350 a year in the United States, with 19,830 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Hampshire.
What foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary do
Foreign language and literature teachers teach languages other than English, including American Sign Language, and the literatures written in them. Lectures teach students to speak and write a foreign language and explain the culture of the regions where it is spoken. They prepare course materials, lead classroom discussions, grade assignments and tests, and maintain attendance and grade records. Faculty with research duties publish findings in scholarly journals. Alternate titles include Arabic instructor, Arabic professor, and adjunct Spanish instructor. Faculty keep up with developments by reading current literature and talking with colleagues, and they compile, administer, and grade examinations or assign that work to others. Teachers who mainly teach and those who combine teaching with research are both counted in this occupation.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Spanish Instructor, Arabic Instructor, Arabic Language Instructor, Arabic Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 19,830 |
| Annual | $49,060 | $62,510 | $79,350 | $102,730 | $136,050 | $89,990 | ||
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 foreign language and literature 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 | ||||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 150 | 0.22 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $64,220 | $81,260 | $101,750 | $127,940 | $157,090 | $104,790 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.15 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $63,230 | $94,590 | $101,100 | $125,070 | $125,070 | $103,300 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,170 | 0.12 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $45,580 | $64,680 | $99,860 | $166,400 | $208,410 | $116,230 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 960 | 0.26 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $63,100 | $81,480 | $98,750 | $127,190 | $164,060 | $109,700 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.10 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $58,280 | $62,030 | $96,970 | $131,250 | $151,460 | $98,500 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,170 | 0.12 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $45,580 | $64,680 | $99,860 | $166,400 | $208,410 | $116,230 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,520 | 0.16 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $59,290 | $74,910 | $95,120 | $126,790 | $208,840 | $109,490 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,460 | 0.10 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $39,170 | $58,260 | $75,090 | $99,540 | $126,920 | $81,220 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,060 | 0.17 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $47,360 | $61,450 | $77,210 | $101,410 | $120,290 | $82,320 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 960 | 0.26 | 2.07 |
| Annual | $63,100 | $81,480 | $98,750 | $127,190 | $164,060 | $109,700 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.08 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $74,930 | $103,110 | $171,660 | $199,100 | $250,700 | $158,240 | ||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.14 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $76,440 | $115,760 | $167,160 | $169,220 | $173,810 | $142,300 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.12 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $48,170 | $80,660 | $125,980 | $166,400 | $215,870 | $125,830 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 240 | 0.10 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $39,370 | $60,350 | $115,040 | $192,500 | $275,940 | $131,060 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 200 | 0.13 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $39,770 | $63,710 | $106,050 | $167,310 | $216,560 | $118,870 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,460 | 0.15 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $52,610 | $66,770 | $98,600 | $131,390 | $209,030 | $110,610 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 800 | 0.13 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $43,020 | $62,930 | $83,310 | $135,800 | $206,210 | $106,960 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 650 | 0.21 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $52,810 | $63,810 | $79,510 | $101,720 | $128,360 | $90,280 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 630 | 0.23 | 1.83 |
| Annual | $65,710 | $81,740 | $99,100 | $130,760 | $168,590 | $116,450 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 500 | 0.17 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $52,000 | $64,580 | $82,890 | $103,450 | $130,580 | $90,940 | ||||
Top industries employing foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 78.6% of foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary nationally (15,580 jobs) at a median $79,750 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (19.3%) and Other Schools and Instruction (1.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 15,580 | 78.6% | $79,750 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 3,820 | 19.3% | $80,390 | * |
| Other Schools and Instruction NAICS 611600 | 320 | 1.6% | $51,360 | * |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 70 | 0.4% | $76,530 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (19,830). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $77,030 for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $79,350 in May 2025, with employment of 19,640 and 19,830.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $77,030 | * | 19,640 |
| May 2022 | $76,030 | * | 19,520 |
| May 2023 | $78,760 | * | 20,820 |
| May 2024 | $77,010 | * | 21,170 |
| May 2025 | $79,350 | * | 19,830 |
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
48 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 | New Hampshire profile | * | $101,750 | $64,220 | $157,090 | 150 | 0.22 | 1.74 |
| 2 | Delaware profile | * | $101,100 | $63,230 | $125,070 | 70 | 0.15 | 1.20 |
| 3 | California profile | * | $99,860 | $45,580 | $208,410 | 2,170 | 0.12 | 0.93 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | * | $98,750 | $63,100 | $164,060 | 960 | 0.26 | 2.07 |
| 5 | Maine profile | * | $96,970 | $58,280 | $151,460 | 70 | 0.10 | 0.80 |
| 6 | New York profile | * | $95,120 | $59,290 | $208,840 | 1,520 | 0.16 | 1.23 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | * | $91,670 | $72,240 | $140,450 | 510 | 0.26 | 2.03 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | * | $87,280 | $51,920 | $131,060 | 280 | 0.10 | 0.78 |
| 9 | Nevada profile | * | $84,980 | $64,710 | $107,630 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.43 |
| 10 | Michigan profile | * | $83,190 | $51,320 | $131,640 | 500 | 0.11 | 0.88 |
| 11 | Illinois profile | * | $81,530 | $48,920 | $127,070 | 690 | 0.11 | 0.89 |
| 12 | South Dakota profile | * | $81,080 | $60,430 | $103,830 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | * | $80,650 | $59,820 | $133,440 | 410 | 0.14 | 1.09 |
| 14 | Connecticut profile | * | $80,630 | $61,610 | $127,900 | 340 | 0.20 | 1.56 |
| 15 | Montana profile | * | $79,970 | $49,280 | $131,660 | 80 | 0.15 | 1.18 |
| 16 | Iowa profile | * | $79,880 | $62,470 | $153,640 | 210 | 0.14 | 1.07 |
| 17 | New Jersey profile | * | $79,060 | $32,220 | $152,430 | 850 | 0.20 | 1.55 |
| 18 | District of Columbia profile | * | $78,930 | $63,170 | $120,200 | 360 | 0.51 | 3.97 |
| 19 | Utah profile | * | $78,570 | $37,510 | $122,720 | 180 | 0.11 | 0.83 |
| 20 | Wisconsin profile | * | $78,490 | $52,340 | $134,470 | 450 | 0.16 | 1.21 |
| 21 | Washington profile | * | $78,320 | $51,380 | $105,390 | 370 | 0.10 | 0.81 |
| 22 | Colorado profile | * | $77,840 | $51,780 | $128,910 | 410 | 0.14 | 1.12 |
| 23 | South Carolina profile | * | $77,790 | $57,620 | $100,190 | 320 | 0.14 | 1.07 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $77,210 | $47,360 | $120,290 | 1,060 | 0.17 | 1.37 |
| 25 | Alaska profile | * | $76,490 | $47,300 | $79,990 | 80 | 0.25 | 1.96 |
| 26 | Tennessee profile | * | $76,350 | $48,330 | $105,170 | 310 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| 27 | West Virginia profile | * | $76,340 | $50,310 | $90,810 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| 28 | Florida profile | * | $76,230 | $48,550 | $98,810 | 430 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| 29 | Missouri profile | * | $76,110 | $46,840 | $146,900 | 330 | 0.11 | 0.89 |
| 30 | Louisiana profile | * | $75,410 | $49,220 | $123,620 | 130 | 0.07 | 0.52 |
| 31 | Texas profile | * | $75,090 | $39,170 | $126,920 | 1,460 | 0.10 | 0.81 |
| 32 | Indiana profile | * | $74,590 | $49,840 | $130,970 | 660 | 0.21 | 1.63 |
| 33 | Ohio profile | * | $74,310 | $38,260 | $103,810 | 960 | 0.17 | 1.36 |
| 34 | Virginia profile | * | $74,000 | $49,290 | $131,190 | 890 | 0.22 | 1.70 |
| 35 | Georgia profile | * | $73,370 | $45,550 | $128,580 | 280 | 0.06 | 0.45 |
| 36 | New Mexico profile | * | $71,720 | $51,350 | $133,860 | 60 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| 37 | Arizona profile | * | $71,230 | $60,350 | $118,910 | 360 | 0.11 | 0.86 |
| 38 | Alabama profile | * | $70,580 | $52,750 | $95,300 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.42 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | * | $65,890 | $46,190 | $109,250 | 140 | 0.10 | 0.78 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | * | $65,630 | $43,920 | $106,600 | 180 | 0.09 | 0.72 |
| 41 | North Dakota profile | * | $64,540 | $42,480 | $94,350 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.58 |
| 42 | North Carolina profile | * | $63,900 | $46,670 | $105,310 | 690 | 0.14 | 1.10 |
| 43 | Arkansas profile | * | $62,900 | $45,300 | $82,130 | 120 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | * | $61,580 | $34,640 | $79,940 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | * | $54,670 | $45,380 | $80,860 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| – | Idaho profile | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.04 | 0.30 |
| – | Rhode Island profile | * | * | * | * | 100 | 0.20 | 1.57 |
| – | Vermont profile | * | * | * | * | 170 | 0.57 | 4.44 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1120), 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 25-1124 Foreign Language and Literature 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 25-1124, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1124.00, 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.