Postsecondary Teachers

How to become a Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teacher

Official title: English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Creative Writing Professor, English Instructor, English Professor, Humanities Professor, Instructor, Lecturer, Literature Professor, Professor

Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Main 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.

How to become one

Educational requirements vary by subject and the type of educational institution. Typically, postsecondary teachers must have a Ph.D. However, a master's degree may be enough for some postsecondary teachers at community colleges, and others may need work experience in their field of expertise.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $78,760 a year The middle half earn $60,900 to $103,130.
About 69,300 people work in this job now, and about 69,300 are projected by 2035. (+0%)
People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teacher?

How much does a Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teacher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $78,760 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $60,900 to $103,130.

Is a Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teacher a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 69,300 people now and 69,300 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teacher?

Usually. 94% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Postsecondary English Language and Literature Teacher?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.