English language and literature teachers, postsecondary salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $48,270 | Data unavailable |
| Median (50th percentile) | $78,760 | Data unavailable |
| Mean (average) | $89,580 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $137,250 | Data unavailable |
BLS publishes only annual wages for this occupation because workers are typically paid on an annual basis rather than hourly.
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
English language and literature teachers, postsecondary pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 50 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62,910 | $46,450 | $92,140 | 1,040 | 1.32 |
| Alaska | $82,770 | $65,030 | $83,840 | 90 | 0.78 |
| Arizona | $76,990 | $61,860 | $137,250 | 870 | 0.73 |
| Arkansas | $56,520 | $31,770 | $83,540 | 320 | 0.67 |
| California | $130,490 | $62,360 | $216,190 | 5,460 | 0.81 |
| Colorado | $72,910 | $47,390 | $119,830 | 1,220 | 1.14 |
| Connecticut | $97,310 | $60,240 | $131,520 | 940 | 1.5 |
| Delaware | $97,100 | $63,970 | $124,580 | ||
| District of Columbia | $82,300 | $62,590 | $138,270 | 410 | 1.56 |
| Florida | $59,740 | $49,740 | $82,720 | 2,480 | 0.67 |
| Georgia | $65,530 | $41,530 | $105,510 | 1,140 | 0.63 |
| Illinois | $77,570 | $37,270 | $125,520 | 2,570 | 1.13 |
| Indiana | $69,180 | $47,790 | $132,830 | 1,000 | 0.84 |
| Iowa | $79,720 | $48,960 | $102,530 | 510 | 0.89 |
| Kansas | $62,340 | $46,440 | $107,350 | 460 | 0.86 |
| Kentucky | $65,090 | $40,450 | $106,250 | 540 | 0.73 |
| Louisiana | $60,350 | $50,510 | $102,640 | 430 | 0.6 |
| Maine | $84,290 | $60,230 | $139,640 | 230 | 0.99 |
| Maryland | $83,760 | $46,130 | $135,130 | 830 | 0.81 |
| Massachusetts | $83,980 | $62,050 | $175,580 | 2,900 | 2.14 |
| Michigan | $90,240 | $50,770 | $137,400 | 1,730 | 1.06 |
| Minnesota | $84,200 | $56,640 | $127,160 | 920 | 0.84 |
| Mississippi | $60,680 | $30,450 | $78,540 | 530 | 1.22 |
| Missouri | $73,070 | $47,310 | $111,020 | 1,040 | 0.95 |
| Montana | $73,160 | $48,710 | $116,850 | 130 | 0.68 |
| Nebraska | $78,450 | $45,610 | $127,140 | 500 | 1.32 |
| Nevada | $85,830 | $54,920 | $102,540 | 280 | 0.48 |
| New Hampshire | $98,650 | $63,750 | $135,440 | 230 | 0.89 |
| New Jersey | $78,760 | $32,220 | $149,590 | 1,950 | 1.23 |
| New Mexico | $66,450 | $51,650 | $126,760 | 230 | 0.71 |
| New York | $84,850 | $52,220 | $173,580 | 6,110 | 1.7 |
| North Carolina | $63,370 | $42,620 | $99,810 | 2,140 | 1.17 |
| North Dakota | $63,690 | $50,870 | $96,820 | 120 | 0.76 |
| Ohio | $65,140 | $46,840 | $104,370 | 2,240 | 1.09 |
| Oklahoma | $53,200 | $30,930 | $83,040 | 500 | 0.79 |
| Oregon | $91,870 | $52,060 | $162,800 | 960 | 1.32 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,670 | $49,290 | $122,700 | 2,530 | 1.12 |
| Puerto Rico | $73,490 | $55,070 | $96,220 | 130 | 0.38 |
| Rhode Island | $79,190 | $64,700 | $129,890 | 540 | 2.93 |
| South Carolina | $64,470 | $47,400 | $104,990 | 840 | 0.99 |
| South Dakota | $62,960 | $49,200 | $85,340 | 110 | 0.65 |
| Tennessee | $64,220 | $48,580 | $99,170 | 1,150 | 0.95 |
| Texas | $78,900 | $46,840 | $130,870 | 4,310 | 0.83 |
| Utah | $73,280 | $48,110 | $130,040 | 420 | 0.66 |
| Vermont | $86,870 | $51,290 | $160,980 | 170 | 1.48 |
| Virginia | $67,330 | $43,250 | $135,710 | 1,810 | 1.19 |
| Washington | $79,840 | $56,220 | $102,360 | 1,000 | 0.76 |
| West Virginia | $63,280 | $40,890 | $99,190 | 250 | 0.95 |
| Wisconsin | $80,800 | $60,540 | $127,910 | 840 | 0.77 |
| Wyoming | $62,030 | $48,730 | $96,480 | 140 | 1.3 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for english language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 4,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.2%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for english language and literature teachers, postsecondary
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: 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).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- English/Language Arts Teacher Education CIP 13.1305
- Comparative Literature CIP 16.0104
- English Language and Literature, General CIP 23.0101
- Writing, General CIP 23.1301
- Creative Writing CIP 23.1302
- Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing CIP 23.1303
- Rhetoric and Composition CIP 23.1304
- Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Other CIP 23.1399
- General Literature CIP 23.1401
- American Literature (United States) CIP 23.1402
- American Literature (Canadian) CIP 23.1403
- English Literature (British and Commonwealth) CIP 23.1404
- Children's and Adolescent Literature CIP 23.1405
- Literature, Other CIP 23.1499
- English Language and Literature/Letters, Other CIP 23.9999
- Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature CIP 30.3601
- Linguistics and Anthropology CIP 30.4701
- Linguistics and Computer Science CIP 30.4801
- Digital Humanities and Textual Studies, General CIP 30.5201
- Digital Humanities CIP 30.5202
- Textual Studies CIP 30.5203
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Teach writing or communication classes.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as poetry, novel structure, and translation and adaptation.
- Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class.
Technology skills
- Learning management system LMS (in demand)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Apple Safari (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Apple QuickTime
- Blackboard Collaborate
- Blackboard Learn
- Blackboard software
- Collaborative editing software
Transferable skills for career changers: Instructing, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Time Management.
Common job titles: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Creative Writing Professor, English Instructor, English Professor, Humanities Professor, Instructor, Lecturer, Literature Professor, Professor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do english language and literature teachers, postsecondary make?
The national median annual wage for english language and literature teachers, postsecondary was $78,760 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $48,270 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $137,250. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do english language and literature teachers, postsecondary need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is english language and literature teachers, postsecondary a growing career?
BLS projects employment of english language and literature teachers, postsecondary to change 0.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 4,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay english language and literature teachers, postsecondary the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($130,490), New Hampshire ($98,650), Connecticut ($97,310). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.