Compensation
Median Pay
$72,990
National median annual wage for this occupation.
National Career Overview
Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
National Median Pay
$72,990
Projected Growth
1.7%
Annual Openings
1,500
Career outlook
National Snapshot
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National
Employment
20,700
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Outlook
Projected Growth
1.7%
Projected employment change through 2034.
Opportunity
Annual Openings
1,500
Estimated openings created each year.
Pathway
Preparation
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
STEP 1
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
STEP 2
Experience
None
STEP 3
Training
None
Top Skills for Success
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Writing & reading
95 / 100
95%
Speaking & listening
94 / 100
94%
Adaptability
86 / 100
86%
Creativity & innovation
86 / 100
86%
Critical & analytical thinking
84 / 100
84%
Leadership
75 / 100
75%
Computers & information technology
69 / 100
69%
Interpersonal
69 / 100
69%
Problem solving & decision making
67 / 100
67%
Science
66 / 100
66%
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Location Intelligence
Best Places for This Career
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
PRO
Best Metro Areas
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
- Top-paying cities
- Fast-growing markets
- Local opportunity rankings
CAREERGPS INSIGHTS
Career Analysis for Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Is Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other a Good Career?
Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other, work in higher education settings focused on social science topics that are not covered by more specialized teaching roles. Nationally, this occupation pays a median annual salary of $75,040 and employs about 21,000 people. Employment is projected to grow by 1.7%, with about 2,000 openings each year, indicating ongoing demand for new and replacement teachers in this field. The role typically calls for a doctoral or professional degree, reflecting its advanced academic focus. Successful professionals in this career tend to rely on strong writing, reading, speaking, and listening abilities, as well as critical and analytical thinking and problem solving. Skills in creativity and innovation, leadership, computers and information technology, and interpersonal communication also play an important part. For those interested in social sciences and teaching at the postsecondary level, this career can also be considered alongside related paths such as postsecondary psychology, geography, or family and consumer sciences teaching, or broader postsecondary teacher roles.
Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other Salary
Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other, earn a national median annual salary of $75,040, with notable variation by state and metro area. Among the top states by opportunity score, California stands out with a median salary of $132,920, and Massachusetts and Virginia also show relatively high median salaries of $98,260 and $94,740, respectively. New York’s median salary is $79,040, while Washington’s is $72,670. At the metro level, some of the highest reported median salaries are in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $170,240 and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $149,960. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH reports $98,370, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ reports $81,180, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV reports $78,060. These figures highlight meaningful earning differences across locations, giving candidates options to weigh compensation against other personal and professional factors.
Job Outlook for Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other
Nationally, social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other, account for about 21,000 jobs. The occupation is projected to grow by 1.7%, with approximately 2,000 openings each year. These annual openings reflect both new positions and the need to replace teachers who retire, change occupations, or leave the workforce. The consistent 1.7% growth figure also appears in the listed top states and metro areas, suggesting a similar projected growth rate across those highlighted regions. For people considering this path, the combination of a defined national employment base and ongoing openings indicates continuing opportunities in higher education institutions. Because the role typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, candidates often plan ahead for a longer educational pathway. Individuals comparing this occupation with similar careers—such as psychology teachers, geography teachers, family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary teachers (all other), or sociologists—can use these employment and growth numbers as one factor when deciding where to focus their long-term academic and professional plans.
Where Are the Best Opportunities for Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other?
Location can play a major role in shaping opportunities for social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other. Among states, California ranks highly by opportunity score (67.38), combining a median salary of $132,920 with employment of 2,760. New York also has substantial employment at 1,840 with a median salary of $79,040 and an opportunity score of 65.78. Massachusetts offers a median salary of $98,260 with 410 employed and an opportunity score of 65.87, while Virginia and Washington show smaller employment levels (90 and 80, respectively) but still appear among the top states by opportunity score. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ have the highest opportunity scores (77.42 and 77.27). San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reports the highest listed median salary at $170,240, while Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV also present strong combinations of salary and employment. These differences allow prospective teachers to compare salary potential and concentration of jobs across regions.
Education for Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other
For social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other, the typical educational requirement is a doctoral or professional degree. This advanced education level aligns with the expectations of teaching and working in postsecondary settings. The skill profile associated with this occupation highlights the kinds of capabilities that are useful to develop throughout one’s academic path. Strong writing and reading skills, along with speaking and listening, support effective communication in academic environments. Critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, and decision making are central to engaging with social science content and scholarly work. The occupation also emphasizes adaptability, creativity and innovation, and leadership, which can be important in navigating diverse academic contexts. Skills in computers and information technology, as well as interpersonal skills and science, further round out the profile. Together, the typical degree requirement and these core skills give prospective entrants a clear picture of the preparation needed for this career.
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