Postsecondary Teachers

How to become a Postsecondary Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher

Official title: Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Child Development Instructor, Dietetics Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences Professor (FCS Professor), Food and Nutrition Professor, Human Development Professor, Instructor, Lecturer, Professor

Teach courses in childcare, family relations, finance, nutrition, and related subjects pertaining to home management. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Main tasks

Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, projects, assignments, and papers.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as food science, nutrition, and child care.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

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: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
College: Allied Health degrees, Offered by 15 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $75,870 a year The middle half earn $57,410 to $99,320.
About 3,400 people work in this job now, and about 3,500 are projected by 2035. (+2.4%)
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 Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher?

How much does a Postsecondary Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $75,870 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $57,410 to $99,320.

Is a Postsecondary Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2035, from about 3,400 to about 3,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Postsecondary Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher?

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

Will AI change the work of a Postsecondary Family and Consumer Sciences 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.