How to become a Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies Teacher
Official title: Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Also called: Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Health and Human Performance Professor, Health and Physical Education Professor (HPE Professor), Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Professor (HPER Professor), Instructor, Kinesiology Professor, Physical Education Professor (PE Professor), Professor
Teach courses pertaining to recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, including exercise physiology and facilities management. 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.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as anatomy, therapeutic recreation, and conditioning theory.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
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: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $77,270 a year The middle half earn $59,990 to $101,450.
- About 15,200 people work in this job now, and about 15,600 are projected by 2035. (+2.2%)
- 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.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies Teacher?
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.
How much does a Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies Teacher earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $77,270 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $59,990 to $101,450.
Is a Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies Teacher a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2035, from about 15,200 to about 15,600 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies Teacher?
Usually. 94% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Postsecondary Recreation and Fitness Studies 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.