Education Teachers, Postsecondary

Career Overview

Teach courses pertaining to education, such as counseling, curriculum, guidance, instruction, teacher education, and teaching English as a second language. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Also Known As

• Assistant Professor
• Associate Professor
• Education Professor
• Professor

Alternate Job Titles

• Adjunct Education Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Adjunct Lecturer
• Adult Basic Education Instructor
• Assistant Professor
• Associate Professor
• College Professor
• Continuing Education Instructor
• Counselor Education Professor
• Education Adjunct Professor
• Education Faculty Member
• Education Instructor
• Education Professor
• Education Teacher
• Educational Administration Teacher

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Supervise students' fieldwork, internship, and research work.
• Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as children's literature, learning and development, and reading instruction.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Deliver presentations at professional conferences.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• English Language
• Education and Training
• Psychology
• Sociology and Anthropology
• Administration and Management
• Communications and Media

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Speaking
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Active Listening
4. Learning Strategies
5. Instructing
6. Writing
7. Active Learning
8. Monitoring
9. Critical Thinking
10. Complex Problem Solving

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Speech Clarity
• Oral Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Speech Recognition
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Near Vision
• Problem Sensitivity

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Intellectual Curiosity
• Dependability
• Innovation
• Social Orientation
• Cooperation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Relationships
• Independence
• Achievement
• Working Conditions
• Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Doctoral Degree

On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration

Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Google Docs
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• SAS

Tools & Equipment

• Carousel slide projectors
• Compact digital cameras
• Compact disk CD players
• Computer data input scanners
• Computer laser printers
• Computer projectors
• Conference telephones
• Desktop computers
• Digital calculators
• Digital video cameras
• Digital video disk DVD players
• Handheld microphones
• Interactive whiteboard controllers
• Interactive whiteboards
• Laptop computers

Work Environment

• E-Mail
• Freedom to Make Decisions
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$38,650
Median	$72,090
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$126,450

Workers Employed Nationally: 59,090

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.