Compensation
Median Pay
$79,350
National median annual wage for this occupation.
National Career Overview
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
National Median Pay
$79,350
Projected Growth
-0.2%
Annual Openings
1,900
Career outlook
National Snapshot
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National
Employment
26,400
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Outlook
Projected Growth
-0.2%
Projected employment change through 2034.
Opportunity
Annual Openings
1,900
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.
Speaking & listening
95 / 100
95%
Creativity & innovation
94 / 100
94%
Writing & reading
84 / 100
84%
Adaptability
83 / 100
83%
Critical & analytical thinking
64 / 100
64%
Interpersonal
57 / 100
57%
Computers & information technology
48 / 100
48%
Problem solving & decision making
44 / 100
44%
Leadership
30 / 100
30%
Project management
13 / 100
13%
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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.
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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 Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Is Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary a Good Career?
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary, work in an occupation with a substantial national presence and a defined professional profile. With national employment of 26,000 and 2,000 annual openings, this field offers ongoing opportunities for new entrants and experienced educators. The national median annual salary of $77,010 places this career in a solid professional income range, with some states and metro areas offering notably higher pay. The role typically requires a doctoral or professional degree, reflecting its advanced academic nature. Success in this field draws on a combination of speaking and listening, writing and reading, critical and analytical thinking, and strong interpersonal skills. Creativity, adaptability, and problem solving are also central, alongside comfort with computers and information technology. For those drawn to postsecondary teaching and scholarship, this occupation can appeal as a focused academic career path, and similar options exist in related teaching fields such as law, political science, history, English, and in writers and authors roles.
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The national median annual salary for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary, is $77,010, with substantial variation by state and metro area. Among the top states by opportunity score, California and Massachusetts stand out with median salaries of $99,860 and $98,750, followed by New York at $95,120. Colorado and Washington show median salaries closer to the national level, at $77,840 and $78,320. At the metro level, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA reports the highest listed median salary at $115,040, with Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $99,100 and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $98,600. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV also offer median salaries above or near the national figure. Overall, the data indicate that certain states and metros provide significantly higher earning potential than the national median.
Job Outlook for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary, have national employment of 26,000 with 2,000 annual openings, indicating a consistent flow of opportunities despite modest projected change in total jobs. The projected employment growth rate is -0.2%, suggesting that overall employment levels are expected to remain essentially stable over the projection period. This combination—slightly negative projected growth but a notable number of annual openings—implies that many opportunities are likely to arise from turnover and replacement needs rather than net new positions. The uniform projected growth rate of -0.2% across the top listed states and metro areas shows a relatively consistent outlook geographically. For individuals considering this career, the data point to a mature field where movement into roles will often depend on openings created by departures, retirements, or transitions, rather than large expansions in the total number of positions.
Where Are the Best Opportunities for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary?
Location plays a meaningful role in opportunities and compensation for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary. Among states, California, Massachusetts, and New York combine higher median salaries—$99,860, $98,750, and $95,120—with larger employment levels of 2,170, 960, and 1,520 respectively, and opportunity scores in the mid‑60s. Colorado and Washington offer median salaries of $77,840 and $78,320 and smaller employment counts of 410 and 370, with opportunity scores in the mid‑50s. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ achieve the highest opportunity scores, 77.42 and 77.27, coupled with median salaries of $96,550 and $98,600. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA stands out for its $115,040 median salary. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also show strong combinations of salary, employment, and opportunity score. These differences suggest that certain metros and states may offer more favorable conditions for this career than others.
Education for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary, typically need a doctoral or professional degree, reflecting the advanced academic level of this occupation. This educational pathway supports in-depth study of language, literature, and related scholarship, and prepares candidates for work in postsecondary settings. To succeed, individuals draw on a broad mix of skills. Speaking and listening, writing and reading, and critical and analytical thinking are central to communicating complex ideas and engaging with texts and audiences. Interpersonal skills, leadership, and project management support collaboration, mentoring, and organized work on academic or departmental initiatives. Creativity and innovation, along with adaptability, help teachers respond to evolving academic environments and varied learning contexts. Comfort with computers and information technology, and strength in problem solving and decision making, further round out the skill profile. Together, the typical education level and these skills define a career path geared toward advanced teaching and scholarly work in foreign languages and literature.
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