Average Education Teachers, Postsecondary Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Education Teachers, Postsecondary is $72,090 per year. The middle 50% earn between $50,630 and $96,260, with 59,090 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 50 states and 157 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Education Teachers, Postsecondary pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $38,650
- 25th
- $50,630
- Median
- $72,090
- 75th
- $96,260
- 90th
- $126,450
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two education teachers, postsecondary at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for education teachers, postsecondary from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +2.1%
- 1,600 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 5,600
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
Entry into this field typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, which helps explain the high wage level and relatively narrow candidate pool.
Where Education Teachers, Postsecondary earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is California at $85,560, about 18.7% above the national median. At the metro level, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA leads with a median of $103,310.
By state
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| California | $85,560 | 3,180 |
| New York | $83,270 | 5,390 |
| Louisiana | $80,500 | 540 |
| Alaska | $80,070 | N/A |
| Rhode Island | $79,430 | 180 |
| Virginia | $79,280 | 1,500 |
| District of Columbia | $79,100 | 220 |
| Connecticut | $77,870 | 770 |
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $103,310 | 30 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $103,290 | 330 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $103,170 | 200 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $101,840 | 170 |
| Wilmington, NC | $101,790 | 100 |
| Fresno, CA | $101,270 | 50 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $99,660 | 70 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $95,810 | 80 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see education teachers, postsecondary pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Education Teachers, Postsecondary rose from $65,510 to $72,090, a gain of +10.0% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $65,510 would need to be worth $80,380 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $72,090 is −$8,290 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -10.3% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 10.0% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +10.0%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- -10.3%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Education Teachers, Postsecondary median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $65,510
- 2020
- $65,440
- 2021
- $63,910
- 2022
- $66,930
- 2023
- $73,240
- 2024
- $72,090
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
Common salary questions for Education Teachers, Postsecondary
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Education Teachers, Postsecondary workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.