Careers / English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$78,760
United States, 2025
Employment
57,720
United States, 2025
Typical education
Doctoral Degree
Job Zone 5
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 25-1123.00
- Job zone
- 5
- Experience required
- Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$48,270
25th percentile
$60,900
75th percentile
$103,130
90th percentile
$137,250
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension4.8
- Instructing4.6
- Writing4.3
- Speaking4.1
- Active Listening4.0
- Learning Strategies4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Monitoring3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 18 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
18
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.8 | 5.0 | Not selected | 5.0 |
| Writing | 4.3 | 4.9 | Not selected | 4.9 |
| Instructing | 4.6 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.0 | 5.0 | Not selected | 5.0 |
| Speaking | 4.1 | 4.8 | Not selected | 4.8 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Time Management | 3.1 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Negotiation | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with English Language and Literature Teachers, PostsecondaryHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $165,090 | 610 | 2025 |
| Riverside, CA | $160,050 | 480 | 2025 |
| Fresno, CA | $137,730 | 200 | 2025 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $137,400 | 350 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $132,500 | 500 | 2025 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $132,230 | 50 | 2025 |
| CA | $130,490 | 5,460 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $128,810 | 2,150 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $128,160 | 370 | 2025 |
| McAllen, TX | $114,010 | 70 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $107,770 | 290 | 2025 |
| Athens, GA | $105,970 | 60 | 2025 |
| Madison, WI | $104,190 | 150 | 2025 |
| Detroit, MI | $104,070 | 420 | 2025 |
| Harrisburg, PA | $103,540 | 90 | 2025 |
| Eugene, OR | $103,260 | — | 2025 |
| Manchester, NH | $102,550 | 60 | 2025 |
| Houston, TX | $102,500 | 940 | 2025 |
| Trenton, NJ | $102,410 | 190 | 2025 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $101,520 | — | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.