Law Teachers, Postsecondary
Law Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1112) earn a median $128,500 a year in the United States, with 20,060 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Minnesota.
What law teachers, postsecondary do
Law teachers teach law, with lecture topics such as civil procedure, contracts, and torts, and alternate titles also list business law and clinical law instructors. They lead classroom discussions, assess students' work including oral presentations and papers, set and grade examinations, and prepare course materials. Some write scholarship, publishing findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media. Clinical law professor and business law instructor are among the titles that appear. Titles run from adjunct instructor to assistant, associate, and full professor. Law teachers also keep attendance and grade records and keep up with developments through current literature, colleagues, and professional organizations. Law teachers who mainly teach and those who split their time with research are counted together here, and alternate titles include clinical law professor and business law instructor.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a first professional degree such as a law degree.
Also called: Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Business Law Instructor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 20,060 |
| Annual | $64,250 | $88,700 | $128,500 | $176,490 | $287,900 | $144,770 | ||
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 law 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 | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.03 | 0.21 |
| Annual | $80,170 | $84,000 | $171,790 | $218,970 | $300,960 | $163,760 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 250 | 0.13 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $49,360 | $99,000 | $167,010 | $177,600 | $179,030 | $136,280 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.05 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $76,090 | $101,980 | $162,400 | $218,550 | $302,400 | $155,340 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.06 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $74,080 | $101,350 | $160,700 | $170,440 | $295,050 | $151,300 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.13 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $89,300 | $102,730 | $157,800 | $210,560 | $317,560 | $170,010 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 7,800 | 0.43 | 3.32 |
| Annual | $72,850 | $88,710 | $119,540 | $169,570 | $284,350 | $139,140 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,190 | 0.23 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $66,020 | $92,310 | $132,180 | $214,900 | $326,080 | $168,030 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 880 | 0.06 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $77,840 | $97,950 | $138,160 | $207,490 | $274,800 | $151,140 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 840 | 0.23 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $79,480 | $102,200 | $132,010 | $226,930 | $323,630 | $168,350 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 720 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $62,610 | $80,110 | $102,720 | $167,430 | $214,540 | $131,220 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.03 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $89,030 | $137,780 | $218,970 | $218,970 | $300,960 | $191,580 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 710 | 0.26 | 2.04 |
| Annual | $78,010 | $106,490 | $170,310 | $229,150 | $323,630 | $177,630 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,180 | 0.23 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $76,600 | $103,490 | $144,130 | $215,330 | $326,080 | $172,210 | ||||
| Oklahoma City, OK | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.05 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $37,130 | $88,230 | $142,720 | $181,210 | $228,400 | $136,210 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $80,720 | $110,460 | $141,220 | $177,200 | $177,200 | $144,010 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,940 | 0.47 | 3.63 |
| Annual | $72,850 | $88,710 | $114,330 | $162,000 | $299,960 | $137,640 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,180 | 0.23 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $76,600 | $103,490 | $144,130 | $215,330 | $326,080 | $172,210 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 760 | 0.32 | 2.48 |
| Annual | $79,870 | $100,880 | $130,010 | $165,640 | $282,040 | $150,120 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 740 | 0.24 | 1.84 |
| Annual | $82,600 | $98,520 | $134,090 | $168,220 | $212,620 | $145,820 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 710 | 0.26 | 2.04 |
| Annual | $78,010 | $106,490 | $170,310 | $229,150 | $323,630 | $177,630 | ||||
Top industries employing law teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 95.3% of law teachers, postsecondary nationally (19,110 jobs) at a median $129,100 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (4.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 19,110 | 95.3% | $129,100 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 910 | 4.5% | $82,480 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (20,060). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $123,470 for law teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $128,500 in May 2025, with employment of 14,110 and 20,060.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $123,470 | * | 14,110 |
| May 2022 | $108,860 | * | 14,830 |
| May 2023 | $127,360 | * | 14,570 |
| May 2024 | $126,650 | * | 22,800 |
| May 2025 | $128,500 | * | 20,060 |
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
35 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 | Minnesota profile | * | $171,790 | $80,170 | $300,960 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.21 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | * | $167,010 | $49,360 | $179,030 | 250 | 0.13 | 0.97 |
| 3 | South Carolina profile | * | $162,400 | $76,090 | $302,400 | 110 | 0.05 | 0.36 |
| 4 | Iowa profile | * | $160,700 | $74,080 | $295,050 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.47 |
| 5 | New Hampshire profile | * | $157,800 | $89,300 | $317,560 | 90 | 0.13 | 1.04 |
| 6 | Michigan profile | * | $141,680 | $65,790 | $310,710 | 330 | 0.08 | 0.58 |
| 7 | Wisconsin profile | * | $140,940 | $83,940 | $232,590 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.40 |
| 8 | Kentucky profile | * | $140,820 | $42,900 | $256,790 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.45 |
| 9 | Maryland profile | * | $139,980 | $79,480 | $224,330 | 180 | 0.07 | 0.50 |
| 10 | Indiana profile | * | $139,400 | $68,070 | $302,180 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.44 |
| 11 | Kansas profile | * | $138,670 | $15,080 | $316,190 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.25 |
| 12 | Texas profile | * | $138,160 | $77,840 | $274,800 | 880 | 0.06 | 0.48 |
| 13 | Maine profile | * | $136,400 | $60,770 | $279,870 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | * | $136,270 | $50,030 | $304,760 | 400 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| 15 | New Jersey profile | * | $135,760 | $50,800 | $299,620 | 470 | 0.11 | 0.84 |
| 16 | Alabama profile | * | $135,340 | $30,490 | $199,470 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.16 |
| 17 | District of Columbia profile | * | $134,090 | $82,600 | $212,620 | 670 | 0.95 | 7.39 |
| 18 | New York profile | * | $132,180 | $66,020 | $326,080 | 2,190 | 0.23 | 1.75 |
| 19 | Massachusetts profile | * | $132,010 | $79,480 | $323,630 | 840 | 0.23 | 1.80 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | * | $131,950 | $79,560 | $213,950 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.13 |
| 21 | Rhode Island profile | * | $128,490 | $61,520 | $205,620 | ** | ** | ** |
| 22 | Nebraska profile | * | $127,690 | $63,110 | $209,320 | 100 | 0.10 | 0.78 |
| 23 | Washington profile | * | $125,210 | $62,690 | $208,730 | 150 | 0.04 | 0.33 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $121,310 | $62,780 | $209,130 | 710 | 0.12 | 0.90 |
| 25 | California profile | * | $119,540 | $72,850 | $284,350 | 7,800 | 0.43 | 3.32 |
| 26 | Illinois profile | * | $107,700 | $50,900 | $275,360 | 470 | 0.08 | 0.59 |
| 27 | Idaho profile | * | $106,810 | $106,810 | $164,280 | 40 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| 28 | Florida profile | * | $102,720 | $62,610 | $214,540 | 720 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | * | $97,090 | $52,450 | $341,680 | 450 | 0.09 | 0.71 |
| 30 | Arkansas profile | * | $95,630 | $42,990 | $167,410 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.18 |
| 31 | Ohio profile | * | $75,930 | $22,260 | $203,930 | 250 | 0.05 | 0.35 |
| 32 | Mississippi profile | * | $74,440 | $64,350 | $97,590 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.27 |
| 33 | Utah profile | * | $68,270 | $30,940 | $215,140 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.52 |
| – | Georgia profile | * | * | * | * | 150 | 0.03 | 0.24 |
| – | Tennessee profile | * | * | * | * | 160 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1110), 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 25-1112 Law Teachers, Postsecondary.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment 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 25-1112, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1112.00, 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.