Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1126) earn a median $80,260 a year in the United States, with 20,460 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary do
Philosophy and religion teachers teach college courses in philosophy, religion, and theology. They lecture on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious thought, sometimes to the wider community as well as to students, lead discussions, grade papers and examinations, and prepare course materials. Some write articles and books. Clergy and religious workers are classified elsewhere. The occupation includes teachers of both philosophy and religion. Alternate titles show specialties such as biblical studies, church history, and church music, and ranks from adjunct instructor to associate professor. Faculty also keep attendance and grade records and keep up with developments in the field by reading current literature and talking with colleagues. Those primarily engaged in teaching and those who combine teaching with research are both included.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Adjunct Faculty Member, Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 20,460 |
| Annual | $49,140 | $62,600 | $80,260 | $104,770 | $139,580 | $92,040 | ||
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 philosophy and religion 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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,850 | 0.10 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $75,070 | $89,530 | $105,820 | $153,940 | $206,110 | $125,540 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.10 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $67,580 | $77,550 | $102,760 | $135,720 | $161,740 | $105,470 | ||||
| Vermont | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.25 | 1.89 |
| Annual | $62,230 | $76,790 | $102,600 | $131,580 | $131,580 | $101,590 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 220 | 0.35 | 2.66 |
| Annual | $64,060 | $79,680 | $101,010 | $128,170 | $166,970 | $103,430 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 350 | 0.20 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $58,480 | $75,480 | $100,360 | $134,310 | $208,960 | $119,490 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,850 | 0.10 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $75,070 | $89,530 | $105,820 | $153,940 | $206,110 | $125,540 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,760 | 0.13 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $48,640 | $60,460 | $76,700 | $96,340 | $126,570 | $82,680 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,700 | 0.18 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $57,800 | $74,980 | $92,050 | $122,150 | $165,380 | $104,040 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,280 | 0.21 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $48,660 | $62,000 | $76,600 | $99,760 | $127,680 | $83,590 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,080 | 0.18 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $45,800 | $58,680 | $77,720 | $98,030 | $124,160 | $80,660 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $77,560 | $97,660 | $123,650 | $168,650 | $250,700 | $139,950 | ||||
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.26 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $82,990 | $98,590 | $122,700 | $127,020 | $168,100 | $117,740 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 0.06 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $59,910 | $89,530 | $119,530 | $156,790 | $226,720 | $133,360 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.07 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $62,350 | $81,460 | $116,720 | $158,830 | $199,730 | $121,780 | ||||
| Lawrence, KS | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.60 | 4.57 |
| Annual | $58,290 | $80,060 | $105,820 | $132,340 | $173,580 | $109,920 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,400 | 0.15 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $52,780 | $71,270 | $101,210 | $127,870 | $208,700 | $111,580 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 830 | 0.18 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $45,850 | $60,660 | $78,930 | $98,510 | $125,600 | $82,520 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 690 | 0.25 | 1.93 |
| Annual | $51,790 | $64,770 | $100,770 | $134,180 | $179,450 | $113,370 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 670 | 0.11 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $71,360 | $81,410 | $103,320 | $153,860 | $206,110 | $123,320 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 550 | 0.19 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $48,770 | $63,040 | $77,870 | $100,380 | $139,550 | $86,830 | ||||
Top industries employing philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 89.4% of philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary nationally (18,300 jobs) at a median $80,190 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (10.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 18,300 | 89.4% | $80,190 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 2,050 | 10.0% | $78,260 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (20,460). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $77,610 for philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $80,260 in May 2025, with employment of 20,850 and 20,460.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $77,610 | * | 20,850 |
| May 2022 | $78,780 | * | 21,620 |
| May 2023 | $79,930 | * | 20,320 |
| May 2024 | $78,050 | * | 20,840 |
| May 2025 | $80,260 | * | 20,460 |
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
44 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 | * | $105,820 | $75,070 | $206,110 | 1,850 | 0.10 | 0.77 |
| 2 | Maine profile | * | $102,760 | $67,580 | $161,740 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.73 |
| 3 | Vermont profile | * | $102,600 | $62,230 | $131,580 | 80 | 0.25 | 1.89 |
| 4 | Hawaii profile | * | $101,010 | $64,060 | $166,970 | 220 | 0.35 | 2.66 |
| 5 | Connecticut profile | * | $100,360 | $58,480 | $208,960 | 350 | 0.20 | 1.55 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | * | $99,450 | $50,450 | $213,590 | 900 | 0.21 | 1.59 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | * | $98,360 | $51,620 | $173,280 | 890 | 0.25 | 1.86 |
| 8 | Utah profile | * | $95,410 | $62,520 | $159,250 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.24 |
| 9 | New York profile | * | $92,050 | $57,800 | $165,380 | 1,700 | 0.18 | 1.34 |
| 10 | Michigan profile | * | $89,610 | $52,130 | $133,470 | 620 | 0.14 | 1.07 |
| 11 | Virginia profile | * | $85,310 | $45,240 | $137,590 | 620 | 0.15 | 1.15 |
| 12 | Oregon profile | * | $85,300 | $39,880 | $126,430 | 480 | 0.25 | 1.86 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | * | $82,820 | $49,820 | $154,440 | 130 | 0.19 | 1.42 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | * | $82,510 | $49,660 | $132,570 | 150 | 0.31 | 2.32 |
| 15 | Washington profile | * | $81,240 | $57,550 | $122,390 | 330 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| 16 | Indiana profile | * | $79,740 | $50,930 | $133,690 | 480 | 0.15 | 1.15 |
| 17 | Minnesota profile | * | $79,720 | $48,450 | $127,100 | 410 | 0.14 | 1.06 |
| 18 | District of Columbia profile | * | $79,310 | $50,100 | $131,320 | 290 | 0.42 | 3.19 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | * | $79,140 | $55,650 | $128,630 | 420 | 0.14 | 1.08 |
| 20 | Arizona profile | * | $78,940 | $48,530 | $133,980 | 350 | 0.11 | 0.83 |
| 21 | Maryland profile | * | $78,360 | $48,120 | $134,480 | 480 | 0.18 | 1.33 |
| 22 | Colorado profile | * | $78,060 | $30,800 | $128,820 | 390 | 0.14 | 1.04 |
| 23 | Illinois profile | * | $77,720 | $45,800 | $124,160 | 1,080 | 0.18 | 1.34 |
| 24 | Georgia profile | * | $77,570 | $25,710 | $132,210 | 280 | 0.06 | 0.43 |
| 25 | South Carolina profile | * | $77,230 | $57,490 | $102,310 | 250 | 0.11 | 0.82 |
| 26 | Iowa profile | * | $77,180 | $47,540 | $126,550 | 260 | 0.17 | 1.28 |
| 27 | Ohio profile | * | $77,010 | $45,090 | $125,160 | 780 | 0.14 | 1.06 |
| 28 | Texas profile | * | $76,700 | $48,640 | $126,570 | 1,760 | 0.13 | 0.95 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $76,600 | $48,660 | $127,680 | 1,280 | 0.21 | 1.61 |
| 30 | North Carolina profile | * | $76,340 | $47,100 | $136,810 | 680 | 0.14 | 1.05 |
| 31 | Louisiana profile | * | $76,310 | $50,050 | $125,750 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| 32 | Missouri profile | * | $75,280 | $46,590 | $119,650 | 320 | 0.11 | 0.83 |
| 33 | Nebraska profile | * | $75,280 | $58,350 | $100,020 | 80 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 34 | Arkansas profile | * | $74,100 | $66,080 | $78,840 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
| 35 | Tennessee profile | * | $74,090 | $59,080 | $121,200 | 490 | 0.15 | 1.13 |
| 36 | North Dakota profile | * | $71,360 | $50,610 | $115,280 | ** | ** | ** |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | * | $65,580 | $37,860 | $97,090 | 320 | 0.16 | 1.22 |
| 38 | Kansas profile | * | $65,410 | $46,010 | $132,340 | 190 | 0.13 | 0.99 |
| 39 | Oklahoma profile | * | $64,840 | $37,610 | $108,920 | 150 | 0.09 | 0.65 |
| 40 | Mississippi profile | * | $63,560 | $36,300 | $97,590 | 90 | 0.08 | 0.62 |
| 41 | Florida profile | * | $63,330 | $39,190 | $101,770 | 460 | 0.05 | 0.36 |
| 42 | Alabama profile | * | $62,210 | $46,760 | $96,030 | 280 | 0.13 | 1.02 |
| 43 | South Dakota profile | * | $58,000 | $41,480 | $82,160 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.69 |
| – | Idaho profile | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.15 | 1.10 |
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 25-1126 Philosophy and Religion 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 25-1126, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1126.00, 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.