Postsecondary Teachers

How to become a Postsecondary Law Teacher

Official title: Law Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Business Law Professor, Clinical Law Professor, Law Instructor, Law Professor, Legal Studies Professor, Legal Writing Professor, Paralegal Instructor, Paralegal Studies Professor, School Law Professor, Special Education Law Professor

Teach courses in law. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Main tasks

Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, papers, and oral presentations.
Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as civil procedure, contracts, and torts.

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: Law & Justice degrees, Offered by 29 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $128,500 a year The middle half earn $88,700 to $176,490.
About 25,800 people work in this job now, and about 26,500 are projected by 2035. (+2.6%)
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 Law Teacher?

How much does a Postsecondary Law Teacher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $128,500 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $88,700 to $176,490.

Is a Postsecondary Law Teacher a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 25,800 to about 26,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Postsecondary Law Teacher?

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

Will AI change the work of a Postsecondary Law 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.