Postsecondary Teachers

How to become a Postsecondary Health Specialties Teacher

Official title: Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Clinical Professor, Instructor, Lecturer, Occupational Therapy Professor, Pharmacology Professor, Physical Therapy Professor, Professor, Public Health Professor

Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine.

Main tasks

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

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: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 23 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $107,310 a year The middle half earn $75,690 to $210,370.
About 278,400 people work in this job now, and about 328,300 are projected by 2035. (+17.9%)
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 Health Specialties Teacher?

How much does a Postsecondary Health Specialties Teacher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $107,310 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $75,690 to $210,370.

Is a Postsecondary Health Specialties Teacher a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 18% by 2035, from about 278,400 to about 328,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Postsecondary Health Specialties Teacher?

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

Will AI change the work of a Postsecondary Health Specialties 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.