Psychology teachers, postsecondary salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,050 | Data unavailable |
| Median (50th percentile) | $80,340 | Data unavailable |
| Mean (average) | $93,860 | Data unavailable |
| 90th percentile | $153,600 | 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
Psychology teachers, postsecondary pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $75,340 | $49,000 | $129,240 | 610 | 1.08 |
| Alaska | $79,040 | $78,120 | $122,810 | 70 | 0.81 |
| Arizona | $78,610 | $61,620 | $127,360 | 940 | 1.08 |
| Arkansas | $60,730 | $46,320 | $96,720 | 190 | 0.53 |
| California | $107,340 | $68,200 | $205,930 | 4,410 | 0.91 |
| Colorado | $76,810 | $39,580 | $132,980 | 960 | 1.25 |
| Connecticut | $84,500 | $60,620 | $137,140 | 920 | 2.04 |
| Delaware | $102,340 | $63,780 | $171,920 | ||
| District of Columbia | $101,250 | $62,560 | $159,910 | 340 | 1.8 |
| Florida | $69,050 | $58,230 | $99,840 | 1,120 | 0.42 |
| Georgia | $79,440 | $45,170 | $135,630 | 820 | 0.63 |
| Idaho | $83,010 | $35,100 | $126,990 | 180 | 0.77 |
| Illinois | $77,860 | $37,930 | $130,950 | 2,260 | 1.39 |
| Indiana | $77,820 | $50,910 | $136,980 | 760 | 0.89 |
| Iowa | $78,450 | $44,730 | $161,960 | 320 | 0.76 |
| Kansas | $79,730 | $46,270 | $138,280 | 230 | 0.61 |
| Kentucky | $74,520 | $43,260 | $110,660 | 590 | 1.1 |
| Louisiana | $91,340 | $52,870 | $128,760 | 140 | 0.27 |
| Maine | $81,660 | $57,200 | $137,060 | 110 | 0.64 |
| Maryland | $101,430 | $61,400 | $207,700 | 640 | 0.87 |
| Massachusetts | $82,930 | $59,350 | $138,250 | 2,640 | 2.72 |
| Michigan | $99,900 | $47,260 | $172,360 | 920 | 0.78 |
| Minnesota | $82,640 | $60,010 | $164,930 | 760 | 0.96 |
| Mississippi | $62,590 | $46,620 | $96,580 | 260 | 0.84 |
| Missouri | $79,240 | $50,590 | $130,710 | 590 | 0.76 |
| Montana | $77,120 | $45,780 | $141,160 | 90 | 0.69 |
| Nebraska | $77,340 | $59,060 | $140,180 | 170 | 0.61 |
| Nevada | $81,300 | $64,220 | $129,360 | 140 | 0.34 |
| New Hampshire | $95,030 | $64,330 | $209,630 | 110 | 0.63 |
| New Jersey | $80,790 | $32,730 | $163,560 | 1,630 | 1.42 |
| New Mexico | $83,600 | $51,740 | $172,960 | 100 | 0.42 |
| New York | $100,720 | $63,110 | $204,490 | 4,070 | 1.57 |
| North Carolina | $75,260 | $49,820 | $109,840 | 1,100 | 0.83 |
| North Dakota | $97,110 | $63,230 | $148,730 | 60 | 0.5 |
| Ohio | $78,530 | $40,850 | $121,580 | 1,500 | 1.02 |
| Oklahoma | $61,720 | $32,220 | $104,390 | 410 | 0.9 |
| Oregon | $80,060 | $46,350 | $146,700 | 660 | 1.25 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,960 | $47,750 | $124,090 | 2,120 | 1.31 |
| Puerto Rico | $66,580 | $62,910 | $81,300 | 400 | 1.6 |
| Rhode Island | $94,360 | $62,340 | $138,110 | 180 | 1.35 |
| South Carolina | $74,890 | $48,760 | $125,340 | 390 | 0.63 |
| South Dakota | $65,020 | $58,870 | $111,750 | 70 | 0.54 |
| Tennessee | $76,010 | $50,860 | $127,760 | 790 | 0.9 |
| Texas | $77,060 | $39,320 | $133,070 | 3,380 | 0.9 |
| Utah | $93,090 | $61,070 | $127,380 | 200 | 0.43 |
| Vermont | $81,100 | $60,420 | $141,520 | 100 | 1.19 |
| Virginia | $77,950 | $47,050 | $135,810 | 1,050 | 0.95 |
| Washington | $78,330 | $50,180 | $108,560 | 840 | 0.88 |
| West Virginia | $74,280 | $29,620 | $128,730 | 150 | 0.77 |
| Wisconsin | $77,580 | $52,950 | $136,890 | 630 | 0.8 |
| Wyoming | $65,050 | $49,570 | $103,960 | 80 | 1.02 |
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 psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.3%.
- 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 psychology 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
- Psychology Teacher Education CIP 13.1335
- Biopsychology CIP 30.1001
- Behavioral Sciences CIP 30.1701
- Thanatology CIP 30.5301
- Psychology, General CIP 42.0101
- Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics CIP 42.2701
- Comparative Psychology CIP 42.2702
- Developmental and Child Psychology CIP 42.2703
- Experimental Psychology CIP 42.2704
- Personality Psychology CIP 42.2705
- Behavioral Neuroscience CIP 42.2706
- Social Psychology CIP 42.2707
- Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology CIP 42.2708
- Developmental and Adolescent Psychology CIP 42.2710
- Research and Experimental Psychology, Other CIP 42.2799
- Clinical Psychology CIP 42.2801
- Community Psychology CIP 42.2802
- Counseling Psychology CIP 42.2803
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology CIP 42.2804
- School Psychology CIP 42.2805
- Educational Psychology CIP 42.2806
- Clinical Child Psychology CIP 42.2807
- Environmental Psychology CIP 42.2808
- Geropsychology CIP 42.2809
- Health/Medical Psychology CIP 42.2810
- Family Psychology CIP 42.2811
- Forensic Psychology CIP 42.2812
- Applied Psychology CIP 42.2813
- Applied Behavior Analysis CIP 42.2814
- Performance and Sport Psychology CIP 42.2815
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as abnormal psychology, cognitive processes, and work motivation.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Recruit and hire new faculty.
Technology skills
- Learning management system LMS (in demand)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- R (hot technology)
- SAS (hot technology)
- The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- Biomedical Imaging Resource Analyze
- Blackboard Learn
- Blackboard software
- Cedrus SuperLab Pro
- Cengage Learning Sniffy the Virtual Rat
Transferable skills for career changers: Instructing, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Systems Analysis.
Common job titles: Adjunct Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Clinical Psychology Professor, Faculty Member, Instructor, Lecturer, Professor, Psychology Instructor, Psychology 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 psychology teachers, postsecondary make?
The national median annual wage for psychology teachers, postsecondary was $80,340 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $49,050 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $153,600. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do psychology 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 psychology teachers, postsecondary a growing career?
BLS projects employment of psychology teachers, postsecondary to change +4.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay psychology teachers, postsecondary the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($107,340), Delaware ($102,340), Maryland ($101,430). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.