History Teachers, Postsecondary
History Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1125) earn a median $83,820 a year in the United States, with 18,790 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What history teachers, postsecondary do
History teachers teach human history and historiography to college students. Lectures reach from ancient history through postwar civilizations to the history of third-world countries, and alternate titles show specialties such as African and American history and art history. They prepare syllabi, lead discussions, grade essays and exams, and keep up with scholarship. Faculty with research duties publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media. Teachers of political science, philosophy, and area studies cover neighboring ground but are counted separately. Beyond teaching, they compile and administer examinations or assign that work to others, keep attendance and grade records, and follow current literature and colleagues in the field. Ranks run from adjunct instructor through assistant and associate professor. Teachers of political science or geography fall under other codes.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Adjunct History Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, African History Professor, American History Professor, Art History Adjunct Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 18,790 |
| Annual | $48,410 | $63,920 | $83,820 | $112,090 | $162,160 | $96,580 | ||
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 history 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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,450 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $62,690 | $85,200 | $127,170 | $168,450 | $217,700 | $134,280 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 100 | 0.15 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $53,670 | $95,590 | $106,880 | $128,760 | $165,270 | $116,670 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 780 | 0.21 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $63,940 | $80,330 | $104,900 | $134,410 | $173,230 | $114,880 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 260 | 0.13 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $57,000 | $85,630 | $104,330 | $124,410 | $144,740 | $103,590 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 300 | 0.18 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $61,290 | $78,190 | $101,950 | $150,380 | $213,940 | $119,890 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,030 | 0.14 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $43,300 | $61,740 | $81,530 | $104,210 | $159,390 | $92,510 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,660 | 0.17 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $60,840 | $78,390 | $100,400 | $132,760 | $183,780 | $112,980 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,450 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $62,690 | $85,200 | $127,170 | $168,450 | $217,700 | $134,280 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 960 | 0.16 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $60,720 | $76,850 | $98,850 | $119,270 | $127,720 | $96,100 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 780 | 0.21 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $63,940 | $80,330 | $104,900 | $134,410 | $173,230 | $114,880 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.06 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $80,800 | $119,400 | $192,320 | $250,700 | $250,700 | $175,080 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 100 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $84,300 | $125,850 | $162,160 | $222,760 | $290,570 | $176,390 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 160 | 0.10 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $80,160 | $101,640 | $135,420 | $180,540 | $226,940 | $140,720 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 480 | 0.08 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $56,430 | $84,670 | $129,120 | $168,900 | $208,850 | $132,520 | ||||
| New Haven, CT | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.39 | 3.24 |
| Annual | $75,260 | $98,910 | $128,760 | $213,940 | $274,680 | $146,720 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,470 | 0.16 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $42,660 | $74,860 | $101,170 | $142,860 | $210,030 | $115,480 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 540 | 0.20 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $64,160 | $81,280 | $105,420 | $137,800 | $184,050 | $119,890 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 480 | 0.08 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $56,430 | $84,670 | $129,120 | $168,900 | $208,850 | $132,520 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 470 | 0.10 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $47,880 | $64,900 | $88,360 | $102,210 | $129,990 | $87,810 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 430 | 0.11 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $57,180 | $72,430 | $83,820 | $104,210 | $124,700 | $90,220 | ||||
Top industries employing history teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 76.7% of history teachers, postsecondary nationally (14,420 jobs) at a median $85,630 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (23.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 14,420 | 76.7% | $85,630 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 4,320 | 23.0% | $79,650 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (18,790). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $78,130 for history teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $83,820 in May 2025, with employment of 18,590 and 18,790.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $78,130 | * | 18,590 |
| May 2022 | $79,400 | * | 18,250 |
| May 2023 | $82,140 | * | 20,610 |
| May 2024 | $81,500 | * | 19,860 |
| May 2025 | $83,820 | * | 18,790 |
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
45 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 | * | $127,170 | $62,690 | $217,700 | 1,450 | 0.08 | 0.66 |
| 2 | New Hampshire profile | * | $106,880 | $53,670 | $165,270 | 100 | 0.15 | 1.24 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | * | $104,900 | $63,940 | $173,230 | 780 | 0.21 | 1.77 |
| 4 | Oregon profile | * | $104,330 | $57,000 | $144,740 | 260 | 0.13 | 1.09 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | * | $101,950 | $61,290 | $213,940 | 300 | 0.18 | 1.47 |
| 6 | New York profile | * | $100,400 | $60,840 | $183,780 | 1,660 | 0.17 | 1.42 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | * | $99,900 | $32,220 | $207,540 | 780 | 0.18 | 1.51 |
| 8 | Maine profile | * | $99,610 | $59,480 | $131,750 | 80 | 0.12 | 1.01 |
| 9 | Michigan profile | * | $99,440 | $50,950 | $140,430 | 370 | 0.08 | 0.70 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $98,850 | $60,720 | $127,720 | 960 | 0.16 | 1.31 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | * | $97,830 | $54,360 | $149,630 | 310 | 0.11 | 0.94 |
| 12 | Arizona profile | * | $97,430 | $71,230 | $342,950 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | * | $92,970 | $63,240 | $162,620 | 280 | 0.10 | 0.79 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | * | $85,910 | $49,110 | $160,860 | 760 | 0.19 | 1.53 |
| 15 | District of Columbia profile | * | $85,550 | $64,950 | $132,350 | 180 | 0.25 | 2.07 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | * | $83,940 | $46,950 | $132,360 | 700 | 0.12 | 0.95 |
| 17 | Vermont profile | * | $83,750 | $51,140 | $134,750 | 80 | 0.26 | 2.16 |
| 18 | New Mexico profile | * | $83,700 | $63,550 | $169,340 | 120 | 0.13 | 1.10 |
| 19 | Washington profile | * | $83,250 | $54,340 | $127,530 | 290 | 0.08 | 0.67 |
| 20 | Nevada profile | * | $81,930 | $46,830 | $134,960 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.42 |
| 21 | Utah profile | * | $81,750 | $63,530 | $106,070 | 140 | 0.08 | 0.69 |
| 22 | Texas profile | * | $81,530 | $43,300 | $159,390 | 2,030 | 0.14 | 1.19 |
| 23 | Wisconsin profile | * | $81,380 | $59,900 | $136,450 | 370 | 0.13 | 1.04 |
| 24 | Ohio profile | * | $81,080 | $41,110 | $132,720 | 650 | 0.12 | 0.97 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | * | $80,680 | $47,320 | $138,230 | 360 | 0.12 | 1.01 |
| 26 | Indiana profile | * | $79,450 | $54,930 | $133,440 | 380 | 0.12 | 0.99 |
| 27 | Georgia profile | * | $79,010 | $50,850 | $108,030 | 630 | 0.13 | 1.06 |
| 28 | Louisiana profile | * | $78,990 | $47,820 | $122,340 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.52 |
| 29 | Colorado profile | * | $78,410 | $30,800 | $154,440 | 380 | 0.13 | 1.09 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | * | $77,040 | $49,400 | $128,300 | 150 | 0.10 | 0.82 |
| 31 | Montana profile | * | $75,770 | $61,220 | $135,460 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| 32 | Wyoming profile | * | $75,400 | $47,230 | $80,650 | 30 | 0.12 | 0.95 |
| 33 | North Carolina profile | * | $75,070 | $45,460 | $127,450 | 720 | 0.15 | 1.21 |
| 34 | Kansas profile | * | $74,920 | $30,360 | $147,860 | 150 | 0.10 | 0.84 |
| 35 | South Carolina profile | * | $73,670 | $49,650 | $106,760 | 280 | 0.12 | 1.02 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | * | $72,940 | $49,760 | $102,420 | 450 | 0.14 | 1.12 |
| 37 | Florida profile | * | $70,880 | $50,990 | $122,430 | 320 | 0.03 | 0.27 |
| 38 | West Virginia profile | * | $69,560 | $49,290 | $96,380 | 90 | 0.13 | 1.05 |
| 39 | South Dakota profile | * | $69,220 | $54,190 | $100,350 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.59 |
| 40 | Oklahoma profile | * | $66,910 | $34,640 | $94,010 | 180 | 0.11 | 0.88 |
| 41 | Alabama profile | * | $66,550 | $49,990 | $98,360 | 340 | 0.16 | 1.33 |
| 42 | Kentucky profile | * | $64,600 | $39,880 | $109,180 | 280 | 0.14 | 1.14 |
| 43 | Mississippi profile | * | $63,450 | $48,410 | $91,710 | 210 | 0.18 | 1.48 |
| 44 | Nebraska profile | * | $57,150 | $37,300 | $99,580 | 190 | 0.19 | 1.54 |
| 45 | Arkansas profile | * | $47,860 | $22,880 | $82,470 | 290 | 0.22 | 1.84 |
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 25-1125 History 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 25-1125, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1125.00, 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.